Patacon Maracucho

Special equipment: a cooking thermometer

1. Pour enough oil into a large, heavy-based saucepan to come 4cm up the sides and heat over a medium heat until it reaches 180°C. Carefully add the plantains and cook, turning halfway through, until light golden brown with pale brown streaks, 6–7 minutes. Transfer to a chopping board and leave until cool enough to handle. Keep the oil at 180°C.
2. Sprinkle the plantains all over with garlic salt. Make a small cut down each side of each plantain half to help them flatten evenly. Using the flat surface of a small chopping board or sturdy plate, flatten the plantains until about 5mm thick. Return them to the oil and fry until the softer parts become slightly crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and sprinkle with another pinch of garlic salt.
3. Mix the ketchup and mayonnaise together in a small bowl.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon of the pink sauce over one side of each plantain half. Top 4 of the plantain halves with a quarter of the avocado slices, 50g shredded chicken, about 20g shredded lettuce, 2 tomato slices and 1 tablespoon grated cheese each. Top with the remaining plantain halves and serve immediately.

Cook’s Note

Look for queso duro (hard cheese) or queso de mano (a fresh, soft white cheese) in shops specialising in Latin American ingredients. Queso duro gives the sandwich a sharper, saltier flavour, while queso de mano is much milder and melts particularly well. If you can’t find either, mozzarella or queso de freír will also work.