Plátano

The name is used for both: in many Spanish-speaking places it means a dessert banana, while elsewhere it means a starchy plantain. Plantains are usually larger and firmer, and are commonly cooked before eating; the plátano described here is best treated as a sweet banana.

Put it in a loosely closed paper bag with an apple or ripe banana at room temperature. Check daily; once the skin is yellow and the flesh yields slightly to gentle pressure, eat it or move it to the fridge.

Keep it at room temperature if you plan to eat it soon. To slow further ripening, refrigerate it; the peel may darken, but the flesh will usually stay good for several days.

Yes. Peel it, slice it, and freeze the pieces in a single layer before transferring them to a sealed container. Use them straight from frozen in smoothies, or thaw them for baking; thawed fruit will be soft.

Halve it lengthways and cook in a lightly oiled frying pan over medium heat for about 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and soft. Serve warm with yoghurt, porridge or a little cinnamon.

Use sliced plátano in porridge, pancakes or fruit salad, or mash it into banana bread and muffins. It also works well in a smoothie with milk or yoghurt and a spoonful of peanut butter.

Yes; use the same weight of peeled, very ripe plátano in banana bread, muffins or pancakes. Mash it well, and expect a sweet, moist result; if it is less ripe than the banana in the recipe, the bake may be less sweet.