ham hock

A Man, A Plan, A Canapé: Panama

15 Dec 2009
map of panama

You want to hear something funny. SippitySup has a rank of 4332 in Panama. It's my best rank per country in the world. Which means that SippitySup is a very popular site in Panama. It seems so random, but it’s true.

I start with that little fact because I have some exciting news; SippitySup has been invited to Panama to lead a cooking demonstration for a group called Boquete Gourmet. Somehow little tiny SippitySup has managed to catch the hearts of a group of food loving ex-pats living the high life near the border with Costa Rica. Boquete is a beautiful town adjacent to the mighty Volcan Barú, and I am very honored and excited to be invited.

Boquete is a peacful little mountain community that is often described as Paradise. In fact Forbes magazine recently rated Boquete as one of the top 10 places to retire in the world. Harper's Bazaar says, "Panama is the most beautiful retreat in the world and almost undiscovered."

Well Sup! is about to discover it in a big way!

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Plantains with Caviar and Black Bean Puree

Plantains with Caviar and Black Bean Puree
By jgreghenry Published December 15, 2009
Prep time: 120
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 1 c salad oil, or enough to fill a medium skillet to a depth of 1 inch
  • 3 medium-size plantains, peeled and diagonally cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 4 heaped tablespoons sour cream or crème fraiche
  • 4 heaped tablespoons black bean puree (recipe below)
  • 2 T of black caviar
  • 2 T of golden caviar
  • 0.5 medium red onion, finely sliced tip to root
  • 1 large carrot, roughly diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small ham hock ( 3 ounces)
  • 0.5 c dried black beans
  • 1 sprig of thyme or 1/2 teaspoon of dried
  • 2 c water
  • 1 medium onion, roughly diced (about 1/2 cup)

Directions

PLANTAINS AND CAVIAR Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat to 375 degrees. Add plantain slices, in batches if necessary, without crowding the skillet. Fry until lightly golden, about two minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and repeat until all slices are fried. Using the side of a cleaver or large chefs knife, gently flatten the slices to a thickness of 3/8 inch. (Can be prepared to this point up to 8 hours in advance and kept covered on a plate at room temperature.) Re-fry slices until golden, another 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. To serve, arrange 3 to 4 plantain slices on each plate. Spoon sour cream, black bean puree, and black and golden caviar over slices. Garnish with slices of red onion. BLACK BEAN PUREE Cook carrot, onion, ham hock, black beans, thyme and water in a small pot over low heat, covered until beans are soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain. Discard ham hock and any water. Puree beans in a processor until smooth, with slight chunks. Prepare beans no more than one day in advance. Reheat, in the top of a double-boiler for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Notes:

serves 6 Source: Lost Recipes of Legendary Hollywood Haunts