Baked Plantains in Gingered Meyer Lemon Syrup with Avocado-Mango Ice Cream

The plantain is a starchy variety of banana with an unusual distinction: It must be cooked before being consumed. Eating a raw plantain is no more pleasant than eating a raw potato. Plantains are used mostly in savory dishes, but they also appear in dessert preparations, generally roasted, fried, or baked, as in this recipe.

I first encountered plantains on a dessert menu at the La Curva restaurant when I was teaching in Mexico City. This is also where I first tasted avocado-mango i