Mofongo con Camarones (Mashed Plantains with Shrimp)

Heat a medium frying pan with 3 teaspoons oil. Add sofrito, garlic, and onion into the pan over high heat. Sauté and stir ingredients for 3–5 minutes.

Lower heat to simmer and pour tomato sauce into the frying pan. Stir in the shrimp and water, stirring occasionally. Once shrimp are pink, set heat to lowest setting.

In a separate large pan, heat oil for frying. Add chicharrónes, piece by piece, and deep fry. Set aside over a wire rack or bowl with a paper towel to cool and soak remaining oil.

Peel and chop green plantains into 1-inch slices. Fry the green plantain slices until golden. Set aside over wire rack.

Place 3 to 5 fried plantain slices inside pilón (mortar and pestle) while adding chopped up chicharrónes and salt. Mash the ingredients together. You may add a little bit of the cooked shrimp liquid while mashing if the mofongo is too dry. However, make sure mofongo is dry enough to shape.

Continue until desired mofongo serving amount is inside pilón. While serving, shape mofongo into a ball and place onto the plate and flatten the top. Place shrimp over mofongo and pour sauce over the shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and salt for taste.

Notes:
1. Chicharrónes are optional or can be replaced with bacon or ham.
2. Minced garlic is usually mashed in the mofongo with chicharrónes, but since the shrimp sauce is very garlicky, I prefer no additional garlic.
3. If shrimp sauce is too thick for your preference, you may add a little bit of water.
4. It is best served while mofongo is still hot.