Plantains are cooked at all stages of ripeness, but for this recipe, they should be bought and used green for ease in slicing and frying. These chips are great for buffets and go well with tacos with seafood fillings.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

　　1/2 teaspoon red chile powder (page 151)

　　1/2 teaspoon ground canela (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon), page 151

　　1/8 teaspoon ground Jamaican allspice

　　8 cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying

　　2 1/2 pounds large green plantains

　　

Step 1

Line a plate with paper towels and have ready. In a small bowl, combine the salt, chile powder, canela, and allspice; set aside. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F on a deep-fat thermometer.

　　

Step 2

Peel the plantains with a paring knife. With a mandoline or hand-held vegetable slicer, cut them lengthwise into paper-thin strips. Fry the plantains in batches, flipping them in the oil, until crisp and light brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain.

　　

Step 3

Transfer to a large bowl and toss with chile seasoning while still warm. The chips will keep stored airtight in a cool, dry place for 1 day.

　　Tacos by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Copyright © 2009 by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Mark Miller is the acclaimed chef-founder of Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has started and owned thirteen different restaurants on three continents from 1979 to 2008. He is the author of ten books with nearly 1 million copies in print, including Tacos, The Great Chile Book, The Great Salsa Book, and Coyote Cafe. Mark currently works in International Culinary Consulting and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Benjamin Hargett is a travel-loving chef who has cooked in Europe, the Carribean, Mexico, and the United States, where he worked with Mark Miller at the Coyote Café for many years.