Stuffed Plantain Croquettes

The first time I ate (or should I say “devoured”?) these crispysoft croquetas with their sweet shells filled with black beans, I was in the capital city of Veracruz. A vendor in the zócalo, or square, was frying them to order in a large steel drum, and the smell made me think of the banana fritters my Caribbean-born grandma used to make. The hissing, sizzling sound wrapped me up under its spell. They are excellent with Valentina hot sauce.