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a bowl of guineos en escabeche

Guineos en Escabeche (Pickled Green Bananas)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Salima Benkhalti
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Snack, Appetizer, Side Dish
  • Method: Boiled, Sauteed
  • Cuisine: Puerto Rican, Latin, Caribbean
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

An authentic recipe for Guineos en Escabeche that makes a colorful & flavorful side dish or appetizer. These pickled green bananas are marinated with sautéed onion, peppers, whole spices, olives, vinegar and oil. This unique Puerto Rican dish brings a bright zesty flavor unlike any other!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 68 green bananas
  • 1 tbsp salt + 2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar + 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp oil + 1 cup oil (avocado, olive, etc.)
  • 1 small onion (white, yellow or red), julienned
  • 1 red bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 green pepper (bell, poblano, jalapeño, etc.), julienned
  • 1 tsp peppercorns
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 1/3 cup pimento olives, halved
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, minced

Instructions

  1. Peel & slice green bananas. Peel the bananas and slice into 1 inch rounds.
  2. Boil the bananas with salt & vinegar. Add the bananas to a pot (see note) and cover with water. Season the water with 1 tbsp salt and a quarter cup of vinegar. Boil until the bananas are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. Cool the bananas. Transfer the bananas to a bowl (see note) filled with ice water to chill for a few minutes. Strain out the water and ice, leaving the bananas in the cold bowl. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator.
  4. Sauté the onion & peppers. Warm a tablespoon of oil in a pan (see note) over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and sauté until they begin to soften, about 5-10 minutes.
  5. Season the escabeche marinade. To the vegetables add the rest of the salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, until the garlic is fragrant, before adding the rest of the oil and vinegar. Bring to a simmer before turning off the heat completely. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes.
  6. Combine bananas & marinade. Pour the marinade over the bananas in the chilled bowl. Add the olives and cilantro and toss everything together gently, coating the bananas with the marinade.
  7. Chill then enjoy. Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge to let everything marinate together. Chill for 1 hour or over night. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Important: Be sure to use bowls and pans that are nonreactive to vinegar. Avoid materials like aluminum, copper, and iron. I recommend using glass, ceramic, or stainless steel.
  • Storage: These pickled green bananas will keep for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.