It's not a banana

HALLIE EPHRON: When we lived in New York City on the Upper West Side there were a ton of Cuban restaurants. That's where I developed a taste for "maduros" – sweet plantains that have been  caramelized in hot oil and served as a side dish with just about any kind of meat, fish or chicken.

Now I live in a part of Massachusetts where Latin restaurants are few and far between, but happily my local supermarket carries plantains. 

First, recognize them in the store. They're not bananas. They're bigger, cheaper, and like bananas they start out green and turn yellow and then turn black. 

When they're green, they're called platanos verdes or unripe plantains (green). They can be sliced thin and fried. You might recognize them as tostones. They taste a bit like French-fries.  They need salt and to my taste, they're okay. 

But buy green ones and keep them for a week or two on a kitchen counter and they ripen and turn black. They've turned into platanos maduros and they're sublime. Like a fried banana only far better. 

So get some green ones and wait until they've gone mostly black. THEN...

Peeling a ripe plantain is tricky. The skin doesn't want to just slip off the way it does on a banana. It helps if you make a shallow slits into the skin the long way, from tip to tip, then peel. 

Then slice it. 

Heat butter and oil in a heavy frying pan and sauté in a single layer over medium heat until both sides are nicely browned. Drain on a paper bag.

That's it. They're delicious, and the perfect substitute for potatoes or rice when you're in the mood for something a little different.