Plantain (or Moko) Baked In Orange Juice (recipe)

Mom first made this recipe last year and it was a hit! Plantain is rarely showcased this formally on dinner tables and it really is a shame. In this case, lengths of ripe plantain are oven-baked with orange juice and zest. The result is creamy, with a slightly caramelized exterior.

My personal suggestions with this recipe are to 1) make sure the plantain is adequately ripe i.e. that the skin has become almost completely black. The dish isn’t as appealing when the plantain is too firm. Similarly, rather than topping it with orange zest (as suggested by the recipe), try topping it with some additional brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. The orange zest can tend to get bitter in the oven. Of course, play around to suit your own personal preferences. Even as I am typing this I am thinking that maybe a blend of zest and sugar may be the perfect compromise. Looks like I’ll be trying this recipe again in the near future 😉

Plaintain (or Moko) Baked In Orange Juice
Source: Naparima Girls High School Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:
2 ripe plantains or moko
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tbsp. grated orange rind
1/2 tsp salt

METHOD:
1. Peel and slice plantain in any way one prefers, lengthwise or crosswise
2. Place in a greased baking dish
3. Mix juice, honey, rind and salt
4. Pour over plantain
5. Bake at 350F until nicely browned and cooked (15-20 minutes)

Note: Sweet potatoes could be done in this way. Parboil potatoes, peel and slice in dish, pour syrup over and bake until potatoes are cooked (25-30 minutes)