Tostones: How Foreign Foods Win Favor BY DANA JACOBI FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

Waves of immigrants arriving in the U.S. during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries generated more than political tensions. What they ate was viewed with suspicion if not outright contempt. Italians, for example, were despised for using garlic, drinking wine and eating strange vegetables like – gasp! – broccoli and zucchini.

Some assimilation was inevitable. Trying to alter prejudices and win customers, Cantonese cooks in Chinese restaurants transformed dishes like traditionally delicate fried rice by adding soy sauce. They offered deep-fried fish smothered in heavy bean sauce and reserved the subtle pleasures of fish steamed with ginger and scallions for appreciative fellow countrymen.

Happily, our culinary xenophobia has eased. Americans are now much more enthusiastic and accepting of new foods and flavors. In the supermarket, this translates into the availability of rice noodles, tomatillos and Thai curry pastes.

Plantains are one of my favorite ethnic ingredients. My love for them was fostered when a Puerto Rican roommate introduced me to crisply fried tostones. Carmen showed me how slices of green, unripe plantain fry up crisper, while riper ones (which she called amarillos after their yellow color) produce a more golden-brown “chip.” These chips also have a tart-sweet flavor that I prefer to the bland taste of tostones made from unripe plantains.

Fried tostones were an indulgence I rarely enjoyed, until a registered dietitian with Cuban roots showed me this method for baking them. A bit less crisp than fried varieties, they taste just as good. She also suggested serving the baked tostones with mojo, a warm dip pungent with garlic, cumin, oregano and sour orange juice or a combination of orange and lime juices.

Baked Tostones with Mojo Dipping Sauce - Makes 4 Servings.

• 4 tsp. canola oil, divided
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup sour orange juice (= 1/4 cup fresh orange juice and 1 Tbsp. lime juice)
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 1/8 tsp. ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• 1 large yellow plantain

In a small saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil with garlic over medium-low heat for 3 minutes to infuse it with flavor. Do not let the garlic color. Add orange juice, cumin, oregano, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the Mojo comes to a full boil. Pour it into a small bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray. Place remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a mixing bowl. Peel plantain and cut it crosswise into slices slightly thinner than 1/2-inch and add them to the bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss until plantain is well coated with the oil. Arrange plantain slices on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until plantains are browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. They do not brown evenly. Remove them from the oven. A few slices at a time, transfer the plantains to a cutting board and press firmly with the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup to 1/4-inch thickness. Return them to the baking sheet, placing them browned side up.

Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the tostones are lightly browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Transfer them to a serving plate and let sit 5 minutes. Set the bowl of dipping sauce on the plate and serve immediately.

“Something Different” is written by Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and contributor to AICR’s New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the cancer charity that fosters research on the relationship of nutrition, physical activity and weight management to cancer risk, interprets the scientific literature and educates the public about the results. It has contributed more than $86 million for innovative research conducted at universities, hospitals and research centers across the country. AICR has published two landmark reports that interpret the accumulated research in the field, and is committed to a process of continuous review. AICR also provides a wide range of educational programs to help millions of Americans learn to make dietary changes for lower cancer risk. Its award-winning New American Plate program is presented in brochures, seminars and on its website, www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.

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