From Better Homes and Gardens

Top these caramelized plantains, seasoned with vanilla, cinnamon, and pecans, with Crema Espesa, thickened cream mixture. Look for plantains close to bananas in produce sections. Ripe plantains have sweet flavor; green plantains are firm, less sweet, and prepared similar to squash and potatoes.

Plantains with Thick Cream

From Better Homes and Gardens

Plantains are sometimes referred to as cooking bananas. Here, they're fried and served with a peppery tomato relish.

Fried Plantain with Spicy Tomato Relish

From Better Homes and Gardens

Tostones are fried plantain chips, and "mojo," which means "magic spell," is a sauce popular in the Caribbean. Put them together and you have a delicious chip and dip appetizer or side dish.

Tostones with Spicy Mango Mojo

From Food & Wine

These crispy, cheese-stuffed bites are the kind of Mexican comfort food chef Sue Torres cooks. "You can stuff the mashed plantains with lots of fun things, like chorizo, beans, or shrimp," she says. The key to their success is finding ultraripe plantains, "so black and soft and sweet that you think you should throw them out." As with bananas, underripe plantains ripen more quickly when placed in a paper bag.

Plantain and Goat Cheese Gorditas

From Better Homes and Gardens

Plantains, which look similar to a typical banana, need to be cooked before eating. In this dessert recipe, they're sweetened.

Caramelized Plantains with Rum-Raisin Sauce

From Better Homes and Gardens

Chimichurri is a thick herb sauce found in Argentina cooking. Here it's tucked inside beef burgers prior to grilling.

Chimichurri Burgers with Grilled Plantains

From Food & Wine

Lourdes Castro teaches students how to fry plantains for perfect tostones.

Tostones: Savory Plantains

From EatingWell

Shredded plantains and fresh cilantro combine in a refreshing Puerto Rican soup.

Plantain Soup

From Diabetic Living

This bean and pork stew recipe, spiced with peppery sweet ginger and piquant cumin, is rich in soluble fiber, which helps protect against heart disease.

Caribbean-Style Pork Stew

From Diabetic Living

Plantains, the less sweet cousin of the banana, have mild squash-like flavor. In this easy main dish recipe, the fruit is skewered with seasoned chunks of beef and grilled to perfection.

Jerk Beef and Plantain Kabobs