Tigrillo

Pujol’s tigrillo con queso is an Ecuadorian green-plantain mash made with butter, milk, eggs, scallions and a mixture of mozzarella and queso fresco. Cilantro finishes the mash, with optional fried egg, avocado and ají alongside.

Four green plantains are peeled, cut into large pieces and boiled in lightly salted water until soft. They move into a wide bowl, with their cooking water retained. A wooden masher breaks them down while still hot, with some of that retained liquid available to soften the mash.

Butter heats in a large skillet, where the chopped white parts of the scallions soften with the selected optional crushed garlic and powdered achiote. The mash joins the pan, followed by the selected milk, stirring for a couple of minutes.

The whisked eggs are mixed in and cook with stirring for about ten minutes. The grated mozzarella and crumbled queso fresco are added; extra milk or retained plantain cooking liquid can adjust a mash that becomes dry.

Salt is adjusted, and half the chopped cilantro and the green scallion parts are mixed through. Tigrillo is served immediately with the remaining cilantro, optional extra cheese and the selected prepared accompaniments.