Food Recipes Salads Collard and Fennel Salad with Crispy Plantains Be the first to rate & review! Crispy, creamy smashed and twice-fried plantains act as croutons in this fresh winter salad. The two-step frying process allows the unripe green plantains to evenly cook through and develop their fruity sweetness. By Ashleigh Shanti Updated on July 20, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Oriana Koren Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 35 mins Yield: 6 Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 3/4 cup grapeseed oil, divided 1 medium-size unripe green plantain, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1/3 cup sherry vinegar 2 tablespoons ground sumac 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon molasses 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 large bunch collard greens, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 6 cups) 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced, fronds reserved and chopped to equal 1 tablespoon, for serving 2 medium Pink Lady apples, unpeeled and thinly sliced 2 medium shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced Directions Heat 1/2 cup oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium. Working in batches, fry plantain slices until light golden, 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes per side. Transfer plantain slices to a cutting board; smash to 1/8-inch thickness using bottom of a measuring cup. Working in batches, return smashed plantain slices to hot oil; fry over medium until golden brown and crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Transfer plantain slices to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle fried plantain slices evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, sumac, mustard, molasses, pepper, remaining 1/4 cup oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add greens; massage mixture together with your hands until collards are wilted and tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Add sliced fennel bulb, apples, and shallots to collard mixture; toss to coat. Add plantains; fold once to incorporate. Transfer to a serving platter; sprinkle with reserved chopped fennel fronds. Make Ahead Dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance. Plantain chips can be made up to 4 hours in advance. Notes Fried plantains may be substituted with 1 cup store-bought plantain chips (about 1 1/2 ounces). Follow recipe as directed, omitting steps 1 through 3. Originally appeared: February 2020 Rate It Print