No, I'm not referring to a boat used for river trips. I'm talking about delicious "canoes" made with ripe sweet plantains (plátanos maduros), an appetizer enjoyed in many countries across Central America and the Caribbean. A few days ago, I mentioned to my husband that I was craving "canoas de plátanos maduros," and yesterday, he surprised me with the ingredients, declaring that he would prepare this dish for me. Given that my husband rarely cooks, I was not only delighted to have a break from cooking but also felt compelled to preserve this recipe as a cherished memory on my blog.
Personal blogs serve as repositories for a multitude of recipes and stories. As I peruse my collection of recipes, I'm reminded of countless special occasions filled with fond memories of family, friends, and the joy of cooking. This blog is my sanctuary for favorite recipes intertwined with treasured family memories.
Returning to the recipe... this dish evokes memories of my Puerto Rican friends who prepare these canoes, as well as a cuchifrito restaurant in the Lower East Side New York where I always indulged in these canoes filled with ground pork meat. I haven't come across these being sold anywhere in this country, which is why we prepare them at home. If you typically purchase these canoes, I encourage you to consider making them yourself next time; they'll taste even better and be less greasy. I hope you enjoy my husband's rendition of this recipe.
Ripe Plantains Canoes
Ingredients:
10 ripe plantains (peels should be yellow with black spots)
Grated cheese to taste
Oil for frying
1 pound (½ kilo) of cooked ground beef or pork - for recipe: Ground Beef (Picadillo).
Instructions:
1. Prepare ground beef: In a hot skillet with 2 Tablespoons of oil, cook the ground beef until it is no longer pink, add the seasoning of your choice and tomato sauce. Let cook until desired sauce consistency. The picadillo recipe is very easy to prepare, and I have a great recipe in this blog that you can save the recipe to have on hand when you need the find: Ground Beef (Picadillo).
2. Prepare the plantains: Peel the bananas and put them to fry in a pan with plenty of oil until golden. This step takes about six to eight minutes, fry over medium heat to allow plantains to cook well. When done place them on paper towels or a metal mesh to drain, leave to cool slightly for easier handling in next step.
3. Canoes form: Once plantains have cooled slightly, make a vertical cut along the center and form so that each plantain looks like canoe. Be careful not to cut through the other side. Place them on a greased tray and bake for 10 minutes at 350˚F (175˚F), remove from oven, stuffed with meat and cheese, return to oven and bake until the cheese melts. Serve as an appetizer or as a side dish with white rice, or a salad for a complete meal.
Yield: 5 to 10 servings.
Notes:
To shape plantains and open the center, gently push both ends toward the center, before baking, this will make it easier to fill. I bake them first without the filling to keep meat juicy and not dry.
Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed. - Proverbs 16:3
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