Roasted Kelewele (Spiced Plantains) With Crispy Shallots and Herbs

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange a rack in the center of the oven and another about 3 inches from the broiler.

2. Step 2

   Prepare the spice mix: In a small bowl, combine salt, cloves, nutmeg and pepper.

3. Step 3

   Prepare the plantains: Cut each skin-on plantain in half lengthwise. Place cut-side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and add the cinnamon and star anise. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and rub on the cut surface of the plantains. Sprinkle with the spice mix. Wrap the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake until fragrant and tender (a skewer or knife should go all the way through with some resistance), about 25 minutes.

4. Step 4

   As the plantains bake, prepare the miso-soy mix: In a medium bowl, combine all the mixture’s ingredients with ½ cup water. Whisk until it all easily pours off a spoon.

5. Step 5

   When plantains are tender, turn the oven temperature up to 375 degrees and remove plantains. Take off the foil and, once cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes, peel the plantains and discard the skins. Using your hands, break each plantain into craggy 1- to 2-inch pieces and return to the baking dish.

6. Step 6

   Pour the orange juice and zest along the edges of the plantains. Drizzle the tops with about ½ cup of the miso-soy mixture and 2 tablespoons oil. Wrap tightly again with foil and return to the oven. Cook until plantains are completely tender and the glaze is just beginning to set, 20 to 25 minutes.

7. Step 7

   Set the broiler to high and remove the dish from the oven. Remove the foil and flip the plantains. Drizzle with another 2 to 4 tablespoons miso-soy glaze and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Broil until the miso-soy glaze is dark brown in spots and plantains are tender and crisp at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Rotate the pan and broil until the sauce sets into a sticky, caramelized glaze, about 3 more minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and star anise.

8. Step 8

   Add the lime juice, zest and honey to the remaining miso-soy mix. Whisk to combine, taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

9. Step 9

   Move the plantains to the bowl with the remaining glaze and toss to coat. Sprinkle in the crispy shallots and cilantro, and toss to coat.

10. Step 10

    Serve immediately in 4 shallow bowls, alongside cooked black beans with more cilantro and shallots over everything and the lime wedges for squeezing.