You will need sweet, fully ripened plantains (plátanos maduros, in Spanish) for this Cuban-inspired side dish. They are soft, with peels that are mostly brown or black, and are available in Latin-American markets and many grocery stores.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 fully ripe plantains, peeled and halved lengthwise

　　1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

　　Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　Juice of 1/2 lime

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the plantains with salt and cayenne; drizzle with the oil to coat. Arrange, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the cut sides of the plantains begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Turn the plantains; roast 10 minutes more.

　　

Step 2

Mash the hot plantains on the baking sheet with a potato masher until somewhat smooth (some large chunks should remain). Transfer to a serving bowl, and drizzle with the lime juice.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.