Here is a copycat recipe from one of our favorite local restaurants, Mr. Crisp (Check out our: Review: Mr. Crisp in Greenville, South Carolina). See the IG post and menu description below. While I’ve never had this meal at the restaurant (yet), I was looking for inspiration as I needed to use some local shrimp. It could not have turned out better. I don’t have the restaurant’s recipe, here is what I came up with.
I love adobo sauce especially chipotle peppers in adobo. I’m sure the restaurant made the sauce from scratch. As a home cook, I take shortcuts when I can.
I’ve made Mofongo in the past and always used plantains. The green banana was new to me but I loved it. The green banana was softer, sweeter and easier to peel. BTW, I tried this same recipe with plantains and much prefer the green bananas.
I found the recipe for a coconut broth and it called for star anise which I thought I had. A quick Google search suggested the fennel seeds and some all spice would be a substitute.
Everything about this was just awesome. I can’t wait to try it at Mr. Crisp. With that said, I now have a recipe to make it at home.
This recipe makes enough for two.
Ingredients for Coconut Broth
- 1 can unsweetened lite coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp all spice
- 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced
- 2-3 chipotle peppers from 12 ounce can of Chipotles in Adobo, preserve adobo sauce for shrimp
- 1 big stalk lemongrass, or 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
- Stems from cilantro
- 1/2 lime
- Sea salt
Ingredients for Green Banana Mofongo
- 3 green bananas
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1-2 cups Pork rinds (chicharrón)
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- Vegetable oil
Ingredients for Adobo Shrimp
- 1 lb fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 2-3 tbsp preserved Adobo sauce from coconut broth
How to make Coconut Broth
- Add coconut milk, vegetable broth, cloves, all spice, fennel seeds, lemongrass and chipotle peppers to a medium sauce pan. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.
- Reduce at a simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Strain with a fine strainer and add back to the sauce pan.
- Squeeze a half lime and season with salt to taste. Keep warm.
How to make Green Banana Mofongo
- Peel and slice green bananas.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add vegetable oil to cover the pan and heat until shimmering. Add green bananas and cook until bananas are browned on both sides.
- Remove bananas to a paper towel.
- Add garlic to a food processor and blend until minced. Add pork rinds and pulse one or two times. Add cilantro stems and green bananas and pulse until fully combined.
How to make Adobo Shrimp
- Using the same large pan you cooked the green bananas, add more vegetable oil to coat if needed and heat over high heat.
- Add shrimp and sear on both sides but don’t cook through.
- Reduce to medium heat, remove shrimp and add garlic and adobo sauce reserved from the Chipotle and Adobo used in the broth. Stir to combine.
- Add shrimp back to the pan, toss to combine. Cook until shrimp are just cooked through.
Plating
- Place the Mofongo into a ramekin or small bowl (spray with nonstick spray) and gentle pack. Turn over the ramekin into a large, high rimmed plate. Tap the ramekin to release the Mofongo.
- Pour the coconut broth into the plate.
- Add adobo shrimp, garnish with minced cilantro and drizzle with olive oil.
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