Mofongo is one of my all-time favorite Puerto Rican dishes. It is incredible to me just how flavorful the combination of fried plantains, garlic and chicharrónes (cracklings) is! It can be served as a side dish, but it transforms into a hearty main dish when stuffed with shrimp cooked in a rich tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 batch Mofongo
For the camarones
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp (55 g) Sofrito
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-oz [425-g]) can plain tomato sauce
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, minced
- 1 small onion, minced
- ¼ tsp fine Himalayan salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb (455 g) medium peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 tbsp (2 g) minced fresh cilantro, for garnish
How to Make It
- Cook the mofongo and the camarones simultaneously so they are both ready at the same time.
- To prepare the camarones, in a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, add the sofrito and stir for 2 to 4 minutes (longer if cooking with frozen sofrito), until sizzling and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 60 seconds.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, add the bell pepper, onion, salt and black pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to soften the bell pepper and onion. Add the shrimp and simmer until they are cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Divide the mofongo into 4 portions. Shape each portion into a mound and then create an indentation in the center, forming a bowl shape (just like making mashed potato volcanoes when you were a kid!). Generously fill with the shrimp and sauce, allowing it to overflow out from the center. Garnish with the cilantro and serve immediately.