platanos, puerto rican style

I was perusing Mark Bittman's Bitten blog, which is one of my new favorites, and found a recipe for Platanos Maduros (sauteed ripe plantains), which gave me a craving for a slightly different take on this tropical banana cousin. During my senior year in college, and the summer after I graduated, I worked at an afterschool/summer camp program at a local public school in Hartford, CT, with a student body that was 75% Puerto Rican. Whenever we would have a picnic or potluck, someone was bound to bring Puerto Rican-style platanos, which are double-fried unripe platains (known as tostones in other places). I instantly fell in love, and had one of the Puerto Rican staff members teach me how to make them. It's been years since I've made them, and the only part I could remember had something to do with smashing the slices in the plaintain peel, so I had to google a reminder recipe (please click this link so you can see the majesty of the platano). I will definitely be picking up unripe plantains the next time I see them, along with some adobo seasoning, and maybe some queso fresco, so I can fry up a batch. Muy delicioso!