Pastelon (Puerto Rican Lasagna) with Arroz Con Coco (Coconut Rice)

I love food of all cultures but I will have to admit Puerto Rican dishes hold a special place in my heart.  I mean really do you have to wonder why?? The flavor of course!!! I mean Puerto Rican dishes just swims in flavor with no life jacket, HA!!  I wanted to make a Puerto Rican dish but I wanted something I knew my whole family would like.  So I called my sisters who have lived in Spanish Harlem, NY most of their lives and asked for help.  They reached out to their spanish friends and before you knew it, I was armed with a beginning of something beautiful!  Then I called one of my good friends Mara who happens to be spanish!  She was soo excited that I was doing a Puerto Rican dish that she was happy to assist.  I took some of her advice with my sisters advice and BAM BOOM KABOOOOOM!!  Here it is!  I hope you enjoy my version.  Between the sweet plaintans instead of noodles and the beautiful flavors from the goya seasonings I had to pat myself on the back when this meal was done!!  To Watch Video CLICK HERE.

I think this is what flavor heaven looks like!!

INGREDIENTS:

12 very ripe plantains (they are ripe when they are black in color and soft to the feel)
2 pounds ground beef
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced red onion
2-3 tbsp sliced green olives with pimento
2 tbsp sofrito (in a jar or frozen made by GOYA)
2 tbsp recaito (in a jar or frozen made by GOYA)
1 packet sazon seasoning (Coriander & Annatto by GOYA)
Adobo All Purpose Seasoning (to taste by GOYA)
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
3-4 tbsp unsalted butter (to butter baking dish)
3-4 tbsp sliced green olives and minced pimiento (in a jar)
¼ cup tomato sauce
4 cups shredded colby and monterey  jack cheese
13 ¾ x 9 ½ inch lasagna dish (or baking dish)

READY, SET GO:

1.  Boil plantains in water with peel on for about 20 minutes (it is done when peel pops open)
2. Drain water from plantains and allow to cool for 5 minutes
3. Carefully peel plantains and scoop plantains out and put into bowl
4. Add melted butter and brown sugar to plantains and mix together, set aside
5. Butter a 9 x 12 lasagna or baking dish, set aside
6. In a frying pan add extra virgin olive oil and heat on medimum
7. Add ground beef to pan, cook for about 2-3 minutes
8. Add red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, sofrito, recaito, sazon and adobo to the ground beef, continue to cook on medimum until ground beef is browned, stirring periodically
9. When ground beef is browned add tomato sauce and sliced green olives with pimento, continue to cook another 5-8 minutes, set aside
10. Layer bottom of lasagna dish with plantain (completely cover bottom)
11. Add layer of ground beef mixture
12. Add layer of cheese
13. Add layer of plantain
14. Add layer of cheese
15. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes
16. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes
17. Serve and enjoy

ARROZ CON COCO (Coconut Rice) :

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups uncooked long grain rice
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
1 cup raisins
2-3 slithers of unsalted butter
2-3 tbsp cinnamon
Pinch ginger
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch sea salt

READY, SET GO:

1.  Bring water and coconut milk to a boil on high heat
2. Add rice and raisins, cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until water is evaporated
3. Add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sea salt and unsalted butter and fold together
4. Serve and enjoy

Also Watch the Video ~