Home Ec--Cooking, DR Style

In middle school and high school I always wanted to take a home ec cooking class. There was sewing and crafts, but never cooking. I've managed to teach myself a few things about cooking or find recipes on Pinterest.

Last week I took on the challenge of cooking up some Dominican food. Tostones, salami, and queso frito. Lots of oil and lots of frying. I've been living here almost a year so it was about time I learned! I had just never taken the time to find recipes or directions, but a few weeks ago missionary friend, Angela Mitchener,  posted instructions that were so simple to follow.

Tostones are plantains that are fried, twice! Think of plantians as the Dominican equivalent to American potatoes--fried, mashed, chips.

Salami here isn't like the sliced deli meat that I picture when I think of salami in the States. Here it comes in a tube (plastic?), you slice it up, and fry it.  If you're interested in trying these two yourself, check out Angela's blog for the directions.

Finally, queso frito, frito cheese.  Angelo didn't mention this one, but I figured it I'm already going to have the oil out might as well make use of it. It's simple. Buy queso freir from the store. Literally, that translates to frying cheese. I don't any other name for it in English or Spanish. Make sure the oil's hot and you have enough that the queso doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. Think, deep frier. Slice the cheese and add it to the oil--watch out for hot, oil splatters.  Once the cheese changes colors it's done.  This is definitely my favorite and it's best eaten hot.

Peel the plantains...

....slice them about like this.

Fry them once.

Smash them and fried them again, so they turn out like this.

Slice the salami and fry it up once the tostones are done.

Then slice the cheese and fry that.
It should look something like this when it's done.

Dinner time! (Finally, I'd been cutting frying for hours.)

Tostones are like French Fries, eat them with ketchup.
I prefer the sweeter taste of the Latin brands!