No Monkey Business Here

Have you ever purchased bananas that are not totally ripe on purpose? I do. I want them to ripen slowly so we can enjoy them at their peak. Bananas are picked green anyway and are allowed to ripen off the tree in order for them to sweeten. If they were left to ripen on the tree the starch in the banana would make them bland, it would not turn into sugar. But what I would love to know is who took the green bananas and said, "Let me cook them and see what happens."?
I am glad they did though and this knowledge has been passed from generation to generation in the tropical Latin countries. So I want you to try bananas that are totally green. And I mean bananas, not plantains. I will talk about plantains another day. I'm talking about the kind of bananas that monkeys love. The teenage monkey in my house loves them. Green bananas are eaten like a starch, a side dish. And they are the easiest thing to cook. I know it sounds strange, but give them a try. Since bananas are sold by the pound you can buy just one banana to try the recipe below. Pick bananas that are very firm and have a nice bright green color. You have to buy these at the Latin Specialty stores. The bananas in the supermarket are too ripe already.

Here's the way to cook them:
Do not peel the banana, just cut off the ends, then cut the banana in half (not lengthwise). Put the bananas in the pot. Fill the pot with just enough water to cover the amount of bananas you are cooking. Add a bit of salt and a splash or olive oil. Turn the heat on to medium. Let the water come to a soft rolling boil. As the bananas cook, the skin will turn brown. To check for tenderness, take the tip of a knife and test on the center of biggest cut end. If the knife enters easily into the middle of the banana, then the banana is done. The skin might split open on its own, and it will be very easy to remove. If you were to peel an uncooked green banana, it would be very sticky and the skin would be very hard to remove. It sticks to the banana. Take the bananas out of the water and let cool for a few minutes. Remove the banana peel and serve.
Once the banana is on the plate, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. I like it this way to keep it low calorie. You can also have sour cream to spread on the banana. I have eaten these a lot lately in lieu of potatoes. I hope you enjoy this new way of going bananas.