Mofongo con Camarones

5 from 10 votes

Mofongo con Camarones brings together garlicky plantains and succulent shrimp that have been cooked in a savory salsa criolla. It's the ultimate Puerto Rican comfort food, perfect for any occasion!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings: mofongo servings

Calories: 619kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

For Mofongo

4 green plantains peeled and cut into ½ inch slices
8 garlic cloves peeled
8 tablespoons butter
chicharrones (pork rinds) to taste
olive oil
salt to taste
vegetable or corn oil for frying

Shrimps in Salsa Criolla

1 pound raw large or extra large shrimps peeled and deveined
1 onion rinsed, chopped
1 green pepper rinsed, chopped
1 yellow or red pepper rinsed, chopped
8 ounces crushed tomato sauce
4 ounces tomato sauce
5 garlic cloves minced
4 ounces white wine or water
2 dry bay leaves
3 tablespoons sofrito
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped
3 culantro leaves rinsed and chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
1 teaspoons ground pepper or to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil

Instructions

Salsa Criolla

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and stir. Cook until the onions become translucent.
Stir in the bay leaves, sofrito, culantro (if using), cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook briefly until fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir well to combine. Pour in the white wine or water, and give everything a good stir.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 5–10 minutes to prevent sticking.
While the sauce is cooking begin frying the plantains and preparing the mofongo. Once the mofongo is ready, you will then come back and finish the sauce by adding the shrimps and cooking for just a few minutes.
*Come back to this step after the mofongo is prepared: Add the shrimp to the sauce and stir to coat them evenly. Cook the shrimp in the sauce for 5–7 minutes, depending on their size, until they’re just cooked through.

Cut and Fry the Plantains

Preheat the oven to 200°F.
Cut off both ends of the plantains using a sharp knife. Score the plantain lengthwise, slicing through the skin without cutting into the flesh. Use your fingertips to lift the skin at one end, then peel it off by running your fingers along the plantain. Slice the plantains into ½-inch pieces.
Heat an inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add a few plantain pieces at a time. Fry the plantains until golden brown on one side, then flip over and cook until golden brown on the other side.
Drain the plantains on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Place the cooked plantains in the oven to keep them warm while you fry all the other plantain pieces.
Note: Be careful not to let the plantain pieces burn or become too dark. The goal is to cook them through until fork-tender and slightly golden.

Prepare the Mofongo

Place all the garlic cloves into a pilón (mortar and pestle) and mash them thoroughly until smooth. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the mashed garlic and mix well to create a garlic paste. Remove the paste from the pilón and set it aside for later use.
Add about 8 pieces of the cooked plantain at a time to the pilón (mortar and pestle). Using the pestle, mash the plantains until they form a stiff, mashed potato-like consistency. (Be sure to mash the plantains while they’re still hot so they're easier to mash.)
Add 1-2 teaspoons of the garlic paste, about a tablespoon of olive oil, and a tablespoon of butter to the mashed plantains. Mash everything together until well combined.
Toss in a few pieces of chicharrones (pork rinds) and season with salt to taste. Mash again, ensuring everything is evenly mixed and incorporated
*If needed, add a little more olive oil and butter to the mash to achieve the right consistency. The mofongo should not be too dry but also not overly moist.
Once the first batch of plantain is mashed and seasoned, remove it from the pilón and set it aside onto a plate or bowl.
Repeat the same process with the remaining plantain pieces until all are mashed and seasoned.
Go back to the sauce and add the raw shrimp to cook (step 5).

Serving the Mofongo Option 1: Plate Presentation

Divide the mofongo into 4 equal portions.
Take one portion at a time and press it into a small bowl to shape it into a dome or half-moon sphere.
Invert the bowl onto a plate, placing the molded mofongo at the center. Repeat the process with the remaining portions, serving each on individual plates.
Arrange the salsa criolla with shrimps around or on top of the mofongo.

Option 2: Serve in a Pilon (Mortar and Pestle)

If you have multiple pilones (mortars and pestles), you can serve the mofongo directly from them.
Press the mashed plantain into a dome shape using the pestle or a spoon, and create a hole in the center.
Fill the center with the salsa criolla with shrimps, or push the mofongo to one side of the pilón and fill the other side with the sauce and shrimps.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

Mashing the Plantains: While I used a pilón (mortar and pestle) to mash the plantains, you don’t need one to get the job done. If you don’t have a pilón, simply use a large mixing bowl and a potato masher or mallet to mash the plantains. It works just as well!

Shrimps: If shrimp isn’t your thing, you can follow our mofongo with carne frita (mofongo with fried pork chunks) recipe instead.

Nutrition