Canoas de Amarillo

Beef-filled whole ripe plantains

Ingredients

• 8 plantains ripe but still firm - the skin will be mostly yellow with a few black spots
• 2 1/2 cups filling (may be lobster, shrimp, beef, chicken, or turkey—see below)
• frying oil
• 1/4-lb grated cheddar cheese

The filling

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoonful diced pitted, pepper or onion-stuffed black olives
• 1 small green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 tablespoonful chopped onion
• 1 tablespoonful olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoonful raisins

Directions

1. Prepare the filling per instructions down below and set aside.
2. Peel the plantains carefully to make sure they do not break. You need whole plantains and appearance is quite important in this dish.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. While the oven preheats, fry the plantains in enough oil to cover them. Be careful while handling the plantains. Remove from the oil when golden brown.
5. Soak off excess oil by draining on paper towels.
6. Slit each plantain lengthwise, about an inch from each end, half as deep as the plantain's circumference.
7. Place about two tablespoonfuls of the filling inside the slit in each plantain.
8. Place the plantains side by side in an ovenproof dish.
9. Spread the cheddar cheese over the filling.
10. Bake in the oven for around ten minutes.

The filling

1. Pour the olive oil in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic, olives, peppers, onions and bay leaf. Saute for about five minutes.
3. Stir the ground meat into the ingredients already in the saucepan. Cook for about five minutes.
4. Add the raisins. Continue to cook for another five minutes or until the meat is cooked but not dry. You may want to remove the bay leaf at this time.

Notes

• Other fillings may be used. Lobster, shrimp and chicken are among the most popular.
• Serve alone for a light meal or with white rice and beans for a traditional Puerto Rican dinner.