Pastelón de Carne with Fresh Greens

Name: Pastelón de Carne with Fresh Greens
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: 8 ripe yellow plantains; 3 cup vegetable oil (for frying); 2 pound ground beef; 1 yellow onion (medium, chopped); 1 green bell pepper (medium, chopped); 4 clove garlic (minced); 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped); 8 ounce tomato sauce; 1 package sazon con achiote; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 0.5 cup pitted green olives (sliced); 2 tablespoon capers (rinsed); 1 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; 2 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded); 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded); 10 ounce mixed salad greens; 0.5 cup vinaigrette dressing

A comforting Puerto Rican 'lasagna' layered with fried sweet plantains, seasoned ground beef, and a savory cheese topping, served with a crisp mixed green salad.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Servings: 8
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Difficulty: Medium

Dietary

Nut-Free
Egg-Free
High-Protein
High-Fiber

Ingredients

8 ripe yellow plantains
3 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
2 pound ground beef
1 yellow onion (medium, chopped)
1 green bell pepper (medium, chopped)
4 clove garlic (minced)
0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
8 ounce tomato sauce
1 package sazon con achiote
1 teaspoon dried oregano
0.5 cup pitted green olives (sliced)
2 tablespoon capers (rinsed)
1 teaspoon salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
2 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
10 ounce mixed salad greens
0.5 cup vinaigrette dressing

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel the ripe yellow plantains and slice them lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices.
In a large skillet, heat 3 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Fry the plantain slices in batches for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and soft. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the lean ground beef and cook over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess grease.
Add the yellow onion, green bell pepper, and minced garlic to the skillet with the beef. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
Stir in the fresh cilantro, tomato sauce, sazon con achiote, dried oregano, sliced pitted green olives, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, arrange a layer of fried plantain slices on the bottom, overlapping slightly. Top with half of the seasoned ground beef mixture, then sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Repeat with another layer of plantains, the remaining ground beef, and then the rest of the mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
While the pastelón bakes, prepare the salad. In a large bowl, combine the mixed salad greens and prepared vinaigrette dressing. Toss gently to coat.
Let the pastelón rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve warm with the fresh green salad on the side.

Notes

Pastelón makes excellent leftovers and reheats well. You can lightly mash a few plantain slices to form a more cohesive bottom layer if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 780
Protein: 50 g
Carbohydrates: 70 g
Fat: 30 g
Fiber: 8 g
Sodium: 1100 mg
Saturated Fat: 14 g
Sugar: 25 g
Cholesterol: 160 mg