Plátanos al Caldero would seem like an odd side dish, being that it is covered in caramel, but you have to remember that Dominicans sometimes add a sweet touch to our foods (like eating ripe bananas with our meal), give it a try and add a sweet, exotic touch to your meal.

Time: 15 Mins
Difficulty: Easy
Serve: 4 people

Before starting to cook: No prior preparation is necessary.

Ingredients:

• 2 very ripe plantains
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 2 teaspoons of cloves
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of rum (optional)
• 1/2 cup of water
• A pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Peel the plantains and cut into halves. Stick the cloves and cinnamon into the plantains. In a shallow frying pan heat the butter, add the plantains and sauté until golden brown. In a separate container mix the remaining ingredients. Pour into the frying pan. Let the water evaporate. Let caramelize on one side and turn. Turn off the heat. Serve immediately.

do you remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks before serving?

Personally, I don't. That would disturb the layer of caramel and "uglify" them (heh!). If you are serving to very small children I suggest you do, grownups that can deal with bones in fish can deal with larger pieces of cinnamon without killing themselves.