Each year I make a New Year's Food Resolution, in which I resolve to incorporate either a food or a cooking/eating technique more into my life. Two years ago I resolved to make butter a bigger part of my life, to use it more often as a spread and in my cooking. In evaluating how well I kept this resolution, I give myself an A. Whereas I once went through olive oil like it was water, I now have more of a balance between butter and olive oil. And I've been reminded of something I should never have forgotten: Good pasta with butter and a little bit of almost anything else -- cheese, pesto, veggies -- is amazing.
Last year I resolved to eat more grilled red onions. My effectiveness in keeping this resolution gets a B. I don't have easy access to a grill, and my indoor grilling device is a pain to clean. I haven't put forth the extra effort needed to earn that A. But I have eaten plenty of grilled red onions in the past year, especially with grilled or roasted eggplant, which is an awesome combination.
Now, as we head into 2013, it is time for me to make another New Year's Food Resolution. This year I resolve to cook and eat more plantains. Plantains have been slowly creeping more into my life for some time, but the dish that convinced me to make them a focal point is The Nuyorican wrap at Better Being Underground in New York. (Nuyorican is a slang term that's a combination of "New Yorker" and "Puerto Rican".) It's a sofrito braised cage free chicken wrap with sweet plantains, peppercorn mayo, avocado, and a bit of lettuce. Damn it is good. Here's a photo of it:
The chicken is soft but ample, the sweetness of the plantains blends with the kick of the mayo and the creaminess of the avocado, and it is just right. To tell you the truth, I have never cooked a plantain in my life. But in 2013, I will.
So if you Eaters out there have any plantain recipes or tips for me, please share them. And tell me, what's your New Year's Food Resolution?
Plantain photo: Flickr CC / jeffreyw Nuyorican photo: Courtesy Better Being Underground
