Stephencooks

Serenata de bacalao (Salt Cod Seranade Salad)

1 lb salt cod
2 yellow onions, sliced in crescents
2 sweet peppers, red or green, sliced in crescents
2 tomatoes, sliced in crescents
2 C shredded lettuce (or cabbage)
2 ripe avocado, sliced
2 boiling potatoes, boiled, sliced
olive oil
red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
(optional: hard cooked eggs, sliced; capers)

Desalt the cod by soaking in water to cover, refrigerated, for 3 days, changing the water one to three times a day. Cut the cod into chunks about 1" square and place in a pan with water to cover. Bring to boil and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse. When cooled, flake the fish.

Arrange the vegetables and fish on a bed of the lettuce and drizzle with oil and vinegar to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

Fried Ripe Plantains

Ripe plantains (yellow with dark markings)
oil for frying
salt to taste

Peel and slice the plantains crosswise into 1/2" thick discs. Sauté in oil on medium-high heat, turning once, until golden. Drain on paper towels and salt to taste.

Pastelón de Plátano (Ripe Plantain Pie)

Adapted from Rice and Beans and Tasty Things: A Puerto Rican Cookbook, by Dora Romano.

Filling
1 lb ground beef or pork
4 oz bacon, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1 small sweet pepper, finely chopped
2 small hot peppers, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
10 pitted green olives, chopped
1 T capers, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 T tomato paste
1/4 C water

Crust
4 large ripe plantains, boiled and peeled
3 T butter, softened

Sauté the ground meat and bacon until browned in a heavy skilled, stirring, over medium heat. Remove the meat, salt to taste, and set aside. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and add the onion and peppers.  Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, olives, capers, oregano, tomato paste and water and cook 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Return the meat to the pan and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make the crust, mash the plantains and mix in the butter. Line the bottom of a buttered 9" pie plate with half of the mashed plantains. Spread the meat filling over the plantains and top with the rest of the plantains. Dot with butter and bake in a preheated 375º oven about 25 minutes, until nicely browned.