Crispy Green Plantains, Shredded Beef and Vegetables Tropical Sandwich

On a family trip to the paradisiacal beaches of the Caribbean, my family and I fell in love when we tried the Patacones. When asking about this delicious food, we learned that it is a very common food in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine; like a fast food. You can also accompany it with cabbage salad, lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, ham, fried or shredded pork, shredded meat or chicken, fish, boiled or boiled egg, ketchup sauce, mayonnaise and mustard. This variety of fillings is ideal for any taste, style or diet; perfect to please even the most gourmet palates.

Since that trip, this meal has been one of the family's favorite lunches or dinners, especially with beef. This delicious food we like both children and adults. My kids and nephews often call them green banana sandwiches. How we like this patacon at home, cut into pieces, double fried and stuffed with lettuce, shredded meat, avocado, tomatoes and garlic sauce.

In addition to its rich flavor, a curious fact: bananas are the only fruit that contains the amino acid tryptophan and vitamin B6, which together help the body produce serotonin, the natural chemical that relieves mental depression; it also does not contain gluten, which is beneficial for people who are allergic or intolerant to this protein.

In my family we are six adults and four children, this recipe is enough to repeat. So, pay attention because I will not keep secrets, today I want to share with you all the step by step, the quantities and the tools to prepare a delicious, wonderful and unforgettable green plantain patacon. I'm sure it will be your favorite and that of the whole family. I invite you to try them.

The ingredients:

• 6.6 lb Green bananas

• 2.2 lb of shredded meat

• 1 large lettuce

• 1 large avocado

• 6 Tomatoes

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1 bunch of coriander

• 1 Branch of chives

• 1 large onion

• 1 small pepper

• 3 Chili peppers

• Achiote paste

• Oregano to taste

• Salt

·  Black pepper

• Mayonnaise

• Vegetable oil

Optional

• Chili flakes

• Other types of meat of your preference

• Other Vegetables or fruits

• Cheese (Cotija, Monterrey Jack, Cheddar)

• Eggs

• Packaged shredded meat

• Ketchup sauce

• Mayonnaise

• Mustard

Tools

• Cooking table

• Knife

• Tweezers

• Jump

• Cooking pot

• Teaspoon

• Spatula

• Fork

We start with the meat. Boil the meat in a pot with water for approximately 25 min or until it softens; reserve the cooking broth; let cool and shred the meat with the help of a fork or with your hands.

Cut the onion, pepper, chili, chives in brunoise. In the same pot, fry with vegetable oil and achiote paste until poached. Then add the shredded meat and add the previously reserved cooking broth. Add oregano, salt, and black pepper to taste. Reserve.

Wash, sanitize, dry and cut the vegetables. Cut the tomatoes into slices, the lettuce into julienne strips, and the avocado into slices. Reserve in the fridge.

Garlic Sauce. Place in a blender or food processor three cloves of garlic, a bunch of coriander; vinegar, mayonnaise, black pepper and salt to taste. Mix until obtaining a homogeneous and thick mixture. Reserve in the fridge.

Preparation of the green plantain tostones. Disinfect, wash, dry and peel the green plantain.

Cut the plantains into chunks, about two inches apart. Proceed to double frying; the first frying is over low heat, the idea is to soften and then proceed to crush each piece of plantain; second frying, it is until brown and crisp the toston.

It is time to assemble the Patacones (Sandwiches). To do this, place a first plantain on a plate; on this add garlic sauce, with the lettuce; then the meat; tomatoes and avocado; we can repeat garlic sauce because it's so yummy; and we culminate with another crunchy toston. And ready to taste the most delicious and perfect sandwiches of your life. A crispy Patacon!