Mashed plantains

You will need sweet, fully ripened plantains (platanos maduros, in Spanish) for this Cubaninspired side dish. They are soft, with peels that are mostly brown or black, and are available in Latin-American markets and many grocery stores.

2 fully ripe plantains, peeled and halved lengthwise

1 / 2 teaspoon coarse salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of 1 / 2 lime

• Preheat the oven to 375F. Sprinkle the plantains with salt and cayenne; drizzle with the oil to coat. Arrange, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the cut sides of the plantains begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Turn the plantains; roast 10 minutes more.
• Mash the hot plantains on the baking sheet with a potato masher until somewhat smooth (some large chunks should remain). Transfer to a serving bowl, and drizzle with the lime juice.
• SERVES 4