Ripe Plantains w/ Sour Orange & Coffee Liquor - Plátano Maduro con Limon Mandarina y Liquor de Café

Plátano Maduro, or Ripe Plantain, is a staple of the Costa Rica diet. It ranks right up there with saying "buenos días." There must be 100's of ways to cook plantains and all the recipes will vary depending on whether the plantain is green, or ripe. When they are still green, plantains can be cooked in many recipes like a potato. When the plantian is ripe, you will find in on the daily casado (blue plate special) in almost all the small restaurants known as "sodas." I put this recipe together today when I tried to recall the recipe my boys' Tico grandmother used to make some 40 years ago. This is not her recipe. She didn't use the coffee liquor in her's, but I think it is a great addition. I think you'll find this Plantain recipe makes a wonderfully sweet, and slightly, tart dessert. ¡Buen Provecho!

Ingredients:
1 large ripe plantain (the skin will be starting to turn black and it will give a little when you press on the skin)
1/4 cup bitter orange juice (you can substitute equal parts or lemon/lime juice and sweet orange juice)
1/4 cup coffee liquor
1/2 cup grated tapa de dulce (or brown sugar, well packed)
1/4 cup of raisins or cranberries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:
Peel the plantain and slice in about 1/4 inch rounds. Heat the butter and oil in a non-stick skillet and add the plantain slices. Brown on both sides over medium heat and drain them on a paper towel. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer on medium/low heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the plantain slices back to the skillet and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the skillet and allow the plantains to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4