Coconut Plantain Delight |

We all know how fast bananas can ripen up. One minute they are fine. Then…you blink…and suddenly they have those black spots all over and are quickly becoming a perfect fit for banana bread. You know what I’m talking about! The same is true with plantains. I like to buy them when they are green and not ripe to make Patacones, or Panamanian double fried plantains. If for some reason I don’t get around to cooking them in time for these, they become a little too sweet for my liking for that particular dish. That is what happened yesterday, which in then resulted in the making up of this lovely dessert that I am sharing with you today.

I thought that frying these ripened, sweet plantains in coconut oil and cinnamon sticks would give a lovely flavor combination. Finishing them off with a little brown sugar and vanilla and serving them over some Mango Coconut Cream Ice Cream that I had left hanging around in the freezer was oh-so-tasty! Vanilla ice cream would have been grand as well. If for some reason in the future I happen to leave the plantains on the counter a little too long again, I will definitely be making this dish again! I might even have to leave them there a little too long on purpose! Read on, make and enjoy! -Shelley.

Coconut Plantain Delight

4 ripe plantains {where the peel is yellow and black}
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 cinnamon sticks
2 T brown sugar
1 t vanilla

Start by peeling the plantains. Cut each plantain into large chunks, using a diagonal cut.

Heat coconut oil and cinnamon sticks in a skillet until hot on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add pieces of plantains carefully to the oil and allow to brown on one side and then turn. Continue to cook and turn plantains until all sides are evenly browned and cooked through.

Add brown sugar and vanilla, and stir carefully to combine. Turn heat down and cook for just another minute to make a nice sauce.

Transfer to a bowl until ready to serve. If desired, serve over ice cream. Vanilla would be good, but I served mine over Mango Coconut Cream Ice Cream. Enjoy!