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Puerto Rico · Spiny Lobster

Mofongo Stuffed with Lobster Creole

Mofongo Relleno de Langosta

Puerto Rico’s favorite splurge: a garlicky cup of mashed fried plantain filled to the brim with lobster simmered in a red criollo sauce.

  • Prep 30 min
  • Cook 35 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Medium
Photo: Diane · CC BY 2.0
Served with: Cuban Avocado Salad ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the lobster criollo

For the mofongo

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Cook the lobster sauce. Heat the olive oil and cook the sofrito 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, wine, olives, capers, oregano, salt, bay leaf and water and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the lobster and simmer 4–5 minutes, just until opaque. Keep warm.
  2. Fry the plantains. Peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) rounds. Fry in oil at 350 °F (175 °C) for 6–8 minutes, until golden and tender inside but not crisp. Drain.
  3. Make the garlic oil. Crush the garlic and salt in a pilón (mortar) to a paste, then stir in the olive oil.
  4. Mash. Working in batches while the plantains are hot, mash them in the pilón with some garlic oil and chicharrón until they hold together. Add a spoonful of the lobster sauce if it’s dry.
  5. Stuff and serve. Press each portion into a small bowl to make a cup shape and turn it out onto a plate. Fill the center with lobster criollo, letting the sauce run down the sides. Serve with avocado salad.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Cuba

Cuban Avocado Salad

Ensalada de Aguacate

Thick slices of buttery Caribbean avocado with sweet onion, oil and vinegar. Nothing fancy, just the cool salad on every Cuban table beside fried fish and rice.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 0 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 1 large Caribbean avocado (or 2 Hass avocados), ripe but firm
  • ½ small sweet onion, very thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar or lime juice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Black pepper

How to make it

  1. Soften the onion. Toss the onion slices with the vinegar and a pinch of salt and leave 5 minutes to mellow.
  2. Slice the avocado. Halve and pit the avocado, peel it and cut it into thick slices or chunks. Lay them on a plate.
  3. Dress. Scatter the onion over the avocado, then drizzle with the olive oil and any vinegar left in the bowl.
  4. Season. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve right away.

Photo: Nowforever · CC BY-SA 4.0

More ways to cook Spiny Lobster

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Exumas, BahamasBahamian Grilled Lobster Tails
Fornells, Menorca, SpainMenorcan Lobster Stew
Peniche, PortugalPortuguese Brothy Lobster Rice
Key West, FloridaKey West Grilled Spiny Lobster with Key Lime Butter