"Guineitos en Escabeche" - Puerto Rican Recipe "Pickled Green Bananas"

This is a classic Christmas dish in Puerto Rico and always brings back childhood memories. Nothing transports you back in time like eating the foods from the place you where born.  I love eating this on Christmas or New Year's. Traditionally it's served with "arroz con gandules" (rice and green pigeon peas) and "pernil al horno" (pork shoulder). Believe me it's a classic combination for a reason, it's a super tasty meal, and you don't even need to wait for the holidays to make it! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as my family does!


Ingredients:

12 green bananas (guineitos verdes)
2 medium size onions
4-6 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of black whole peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon of ground black pepper
4 mashed garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of olives and capers
1 1/2 cups of olive oil
1 cup of white vinegar
salt to taste (I used 1 teaspoon)
1 adobo package


Procedure:

A- the Green bananas 

1. Peel the green bananas
2. Boil them in water, salt and milk.
3. Check them after 10 minutes. It's important that they are soft, but firm so that they won't fall apart.
4. Once done cut them in 1/2 inch slices and set apart.

B- Prep

1. Cut the 2 onions
2. Mash the 4 garlic cloves

C- The Brine (Escabeche)

1. Put he olive oil in a cast iron pot on low heat
2. Add the vinegar.
3. Add the Bat Leaves
4. Add the whole black peppercorns
5. Add the ground black pepper and salt.
6. Add the mashed cloves
7. Add the onions
8. Cook on low (2-3) until the onions are soft.
9. Add the cooked green bananas and mix well.

Peel and boil the green bananas with salt and milk. 

(The milk will keep the bananas from turning black)

Once done cut them in 1/2 inch wheels and set apart.

Cut the onions.

Mash the garlic cloves

Add the olive oil

Add the vinegar

Add the Bay leaves

Add the whole black peppercorns

Add the ground pepper and salt.

Add the mashed garlic cloves

Add the onions

Cook on a low heat until de onions are soft.

Once done, add the bananas.

Mix well.  You can eat them warm or refrigerate them and eat them cold. 

Serve with pork chop stewed rice or pork shoulder.

Enjoy!

Pork Chop Stewed Rice

Lately I've been experimenting with stewed rice. I'm not usually a big fan of rice. I'll eat the ones cooked by me, my mother, or my grandmother. My husband on the other hand loves it and begs me to make it, so I promised I'd start making different versions of this dish. Last night I decided to begin my experiments so I took some pork chops I'd left seasoned in the fridge, remove the bones and chopped them up to incorporate them into the rice. The recipe isn't difficult, but at least for me, it's important to have everything chopped and measured ahead of time so everything goes smoothly. I must admit it was delicious and my hubby and my kiddo loved it. Hope you guys enjoy it too! Until the next one!

Ingredients:

Cooking ham (to taste)
Bacon (to taste)
2 large pork chops
1 tbsp. of salt
2 cups of white rice
3 cups of water
1 tsp. of tomato paste
1 tsp. of olives (dressed in capers)
2 tsp. of Sofrito
Sweet red peppers (to taste)
Olive oil


Procedure:

Preheat the pot to medium. Cut the ham, bacon, and pork chops.

Put the chopped ham and bacon into the pot.

When they begin to cook and change color add the pork chops.

Stir the meats with a spoon and add 1 tbsp. of olive oil.

When the pork chop looks almost cooked add the Sofrito.

Stir to combine well.

Add the sweet red peppers and the olives and stir again.

Add the tomato paste and stir again.

Add the 2 cups of white rice.

Mix it until combined.

Pour 3 cups of water and season with salt. Stir to combine.

Let it cook over medium high heat until the water begins to steam and evaporate. Once the water has evaporated stir the rice again and drop the heat to low. Allow it to cook for another 20 minutes on low heat.

After the 20 minutes take off the lid, and stir all the rice one last time.

Final product, ready to serve. Enjoy!