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Pastelón (Puerto Rican–Style Plantain Lasagna)
Recipes
Pastelón (Puerto Rican–Style Plantain Lasagna)
12 servings
1 hour, 45 minutes total (Active 45 minutes)

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sweet onion
  • 2 large cubanelle peppers
  • 1 (6.5 oz) jar stuffed Spanish olives
  • 5 links fresh chorizo (about 20 oz)
  • 2 tablespoons + 2 cups vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 lb ground chuck
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sazón con culantro y achiote seasoning
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • ¼ cup recaito
  • 1 cup unsalted chicken stock (or broth)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 6 ripe plantains
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 oz Monterey Jack cheese
  • 0.75 oz fresh culantro (or cilantro)
  • 2 large eggs
  • Cooking spray

Steps

    1. Chop onion, cubanelle peppers, and olives coarsely. Remove and discard casings from chorizo (wash hands).
    2. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in pan; add ground chuck and chorizo. Brown 5–7 minutes, stirring to crumble meat, until no pink remains and meat is 165°F. Stir onions, peppers, tomato paste, and sazón into pan. Cook 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in wine and bring to a boil.
    3. Add olives, garlic powder, oregano, tomato sauce, recaito, stock, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce to pan; stir until blended. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced by three-fourths. Remove pan from heat and let stand to cool.
    4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place remaining 2 cups vegetable oil in large, heavy-bottom stockpot (or Dutch oven) and heat to 350°F. Peel plantains and cut in half widthwise. Slice each half lengthwise into 3 (¼-inch-thick) planks. Fry plantains (in batches) 3–4 minutes until browned. Season with salt.
    5. Grate cheese (3 cups), chop culantro, and beat eggs. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with spray. Arrange one-half plantains in bottom of dish. Top with one-half each meat mixture (about 3 ½ cups), cheese, and culantro. Repeat with remaining half each plantains, meat mixture, and culantro. Pour eggs over mixture and tilt pan to distribute evenly; top with remaining half cheese.
    6. Bake 30–35 minutes until edges are bubbling and top is golden. Let stand to cool 20 minutes. Cut into 12 squares.

If fruits and vegetables are part of this recipe, be sure to wash thoroughly.

Amount per 1⁄12 recipe serving: Calories 520, Total Fat 30g, Sat Fat 12g, Trans Fat 0g, Chol 115mg, Sodium 820mg, Total Carb 35g, Fiber 2g, Total Sugar 19g, (Incl. 0g Added Sugars), Protein 24g, Vitamin D 6%, Calc 20%, Iron 10%, Potassium 15%