One of my favorite things that the hotel served was short rib tostones. If you’ve never had tostones it is a fried piece of plantain that makes a great platter for a tasty topping of flavorful shredded beef. Now, I know a lot of you don’t have the same access to plantains that they have in Florida or where I am in California, so I made my own spin on the dish using ingredients that you can more easily find. I used ancho chili powder because I love the sweetness that it adds. You should be able to find that in your local grocery store. I know McCormicks makes it and they are pretty much everywhere. You can always use regular chili powder, but I do encourage you to give ancho chili powder a go because it is most definitely tasty. This dish utilizes the slow cooker which makes it super easy. We ate it as our main dish for dinner at home, but in Miami we had it as an hors d’oeuvres. I love versatile dishes! The corn fritters come together really quickly making this a totally easy dish that is sure to impress! Hands On Time: < 15 minutesSlow Cooker Time: 8 to 10 hoursYield: 16 fritters Ingredients Beef1.5 lb beef chuck roast1 TB olive oil1 tsp ancho chili powder1/2 tsp cumin1 onion, sliced1 jalapeno, minced3 cloves garlic, minced1 15oz can diced tomatoessalt and pepper Fritters1 cup cornmeal1/4 cup 2% milk1 1/2 tsp sugar3/4 tsp salt2 eggs1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese1 jalapeno, minced1 cup vegetable oil Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the beef chuck roast with salt and pepper. Put 1 TB olive oil in the skillet. It will heat quickly. Sear the beef in the olive oil for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
- Place the beef in the slow cooker and season with ancho chili powder, cumin, and a little more salt and pepper. Top the beef with onion slices, jalapeno, garlic, and diced tomatoes.
- Cook on low 8 to 10 hours until beef can easily be shredded with a fork.
- Just before serving, making the corn fritters. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet to about 375 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, milk, sugar, salt, and eggs until thoroughly mixed. Add in the cheddar cheese and jalapeno and stir until combined.
- Take a spoonful of the cornmeal mixture and flatten it between your hands. Carefully slide it into the hot oil, making sure not to splash yourself. Oil hurts and I have the scars to prove it! Fry for about 2 minutes, then flip and fry the other side for 2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel covered plate.
- Serve shredded beef mixture over the fritter. Eat hot.
- When frying it is always a good idea to do a test run with just one item for frying. In this recipe, each fritter should be a nice golden brown. If it gets dark brown too fast then your oil is too hot. *A squeeze of lime juice over each fritter adds a nice touch. Δ Δ
