Beef Filled Ripe Plantainscanoas Recipes

CANOAS DE PLATANOS MADUROS (SWEET PLANTAIN CANOES)

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine, beef, onion, pepper, garlic, cilantro, adobo, oregano, vinegar and sazon. Mix well.
• Heat a large skillet at medium-high heat with 2 Tbs of olive oil, add meat mixture.
• Cook beef until brown and of the juices bubble up, add bay leaves, olives, raisins and tomato sauce. Mix and let simmer for 10 minutes, set aside.
• Heat a large frying pan with about 2 inches of vegetable oil, just enough to cover the plantains. Fry plantains for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden and slitely crispy. Drain on a plate with paper towel, set aside.
• To assemble canoas: when the plantains are cool enough to handle, cut a slit down the inside curve of the plantain. Using your knife and a fork, gently pry the plantain open until it opens and resembles a canoe. Fill the plantain with some shredded cheese, stuff with meat mixture and top with more shredded cheese. Transfer the stuffed plantains to a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray.
• Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

FRIED PLANTAINS WITH SPICED BEEF: PIONONOS

Steps:

• In a saute pan, melt butter and oil and saute plantains until golden brown. Remove and place on absorbent paper and season with salt and pepper
• Add more oil, if needed, to saute pan and when it is hot, add onions, peppers, and garlic, and saute until onions become translucent.
• Add meat and saute until meat crumbles and browns.
• Add tomatoes and season lightly. Cook until meat is tender or about 10 more minutes. If meat releases too much moisture, dust with flour and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
• Remove from stove, add the olives and capers, and season with vinegar Mix well and adjust seasonings as needed.
• Heat a 6-inch non-stick omelet pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil. When hot, add 3 to 4 ounces of meat mixture to pan and heat thoroughly.
• Pour about 6 ounces (2 beaten eggs) over meat mixture in the pan to make a sort of omelet. Reduce heat to low-medium to allow egg to cook evenly. When "omelet" is firm, flip it over and let cook until firm on the other side.
• Remove pan from heat and slide "omelet" out of pan onto a clean cutting board. Using a 6-inch round metal cutter, cut a neat circle out of the cooked egg. Using an offset metal spatula, place any scrap pieces cut from the egg onto the center of a heated dinner plate. Carefully place the circle of egg on top. Make a criss-cross of fried plantains on top of egg. Continue making "omelets" until all the mixture and eggs are used. Serve immediately.