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Puerto Rican piononos

Beef-stuffed plantain rings

Around Loíza and in the frituras kiosks of Piñones, piononos are sweet-and-savoury rings of ripe plantain wrapped around beef picadillo, sealed with beaten egg and fried until golden. The sugar in very ripe plantain caramelises against the salty, olive-studded filling, and they are served hot as a starter or a whole lunch with salad. The common mistake is using yellow plantains that are only just ripe; they crack when bent, so wait until the skins are mostly black. Chef's tip: fry the plantain strips only until soft and pliable, not crisp, so they wrap round the filling without snapping.

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