This time, we are throwing a bone to you filthy Spaniards who assume everything in the Carribbean belongs to you! This recipe comes from Benerson Little and is something the Spanish would have eaten during the time period of Blood and Plunder: Boiled Plantain and Cornmeal!
What is heritage Cornmeal?
I know this may be a controversial topic, but things change over time. Shocker, I know. The corn we grow and eat today is very different from the corn enjoyed in the 17th and 18th centuries. Luckily, a wonderful company called Bayou Cora Farms actively grows corn that is pretty close to what was eaten in the period. While these are labeled as “Grits”, its essentially stone ground, coarse corn. This was widely available in the Spanish Colonies, and was often paired with a Plantain (if available) or other fruit.
The Recipe
This recipe is super easy to follow, as half of the instructions are written on the package! Step 1 is to follow the package instructions to make the Grits. The second part is to boil the Plantain! Its so easy even your greenest Milicianos can do it!
Preparation
We start by combining a ratio of 1 part Grits to 4 parts Water. A little does go a long way, so I recommend a half cup of grits to 2 cups of water for two people (this is a good formula to follow if you need to scale it up!). combine them into a pot, and add some salt to taste (I added a teaspoon). From there, set to medium heat and let simmer while covered for 30-40 minutes. I brought mine to a boil and then added the ingredients before lowering the pot to simmer.
If something sweeter is what you crave, you can add some raw sugar instead if you want a sweeter experience. If you are an actual Spanish player, however, just make sure to add either the tears from your minis mourning the loss of their Milicianos or the blood gathered by the tips of your Lanceros signature weapons. If your Corsarios were successful in capturing an English or French prize, then sugar is acceptable.
Next up is dealing with the plantain. Plantains may look line chunky Bananas, but their flavor is very different! I think they are like if a banana and a potato met at the local brothel and fell in love! Jokes aside, they are very easy to work with for a novice cook, but availability may vary based on region.
The first thing you need to do is RINSE RINSE RINSE! make sure your plantain is clean, or the dirt will mix with the boiling water, resulting in a bad taste. This is, in my opinion, the most important part of the process. Like washing potatoes or rice, you want to make sure you take the time to do it here!
After thoroughly giving your plantain a spa day, you have some options before boiling. You can just cut the ends off the plantain and boil it like that, with the skin on, or you can cut it into chunks (skin on). Chunks take less time to cook through, but a whole plantain makes for a better presentation. I opted for the whole plantain.
Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil, then add the plantains and drop the pot to a simmer for 20-30 minutes. The plantains are done when they are fork tender. If you poke the plantain with a fork and it screams “¡Aún no he terminado, idiota!” then it is not finished.
Once the plantains are done you may remove them from the water and remove the skin. The easiest way to do this is to cut down the “spine” of the plantain with a knife and peel this skin off. At this point, I opted to cut it into chunks because I am indecisive. Once they are finished, serve them up with your cornmeal in a bowl or on a plate.
Once again, if you want a sweeter experience, some raw sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon on a plantain goes a long way.
How Does it Taste?
Compared to the previous entries, this was a really plain dish. However, it is oddly filling and if you served this with some smoked ham or bacon, it would make a delicious breakfast! I first tried the grits with some salt, and while I am not a big fan of grits, the heritage Corn definitely makes a difference! I would say these are a solid improvement over any grits you can buy at the store. I did end up adding some raw sugar which improved the flavor.
The plantain was a brand new flavor for me. Its slightly fruity but also starchy, which was a new combination for me. I did end up adding the aforementioned spices and it was a pleasant experience. The texture definitely contrasts with the grits and the whole meal would definitely give you the energy you need to bully an English fishing vessel or try an outlast a buccaneer siege!
This recipe, while deceptively simple, was fun to prepare and really put me in the shoes of the over extended Spanish in the New World. With Summer of Plunder coming up, I hope some of the Spanish players give this a try!
Sources:
- Benerson Little
- How to Boil a Plantain
- Bayou Cora Farms Heritage Grits
Additional Recommended Reading
- More period food articles:
