Cuchifrito with Green Bananas

Ingredients

• 1 Pork stomach. (Cuajo)
• 2 Pounds of pig ears. (Oreja de cerdo)
• 2 Pounds of blood Sausage. (Morcilla)
• 2 Pounds of pig tongue. (Lengua de cerdo)
• 2 Pounds of green bananas. (quineos verde)
• The juice of six lemons.
• Mojo as needed. (You will find the recipe for mojo on the foundation page.)
• 2 Tablespoons of adobo, more or less to taste. (You will find the recipe for adobo on the foundation page.)
• 1 Cup of Sofrito. (You will find the recipe for sofrito on the foundation page.)
• 3 Tablespoons of oregano.
• salt and pepper to taste.
• 3 Tablespoons of olive oil.
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of tomato paste.
• 2 cans of tomato sauce.

Directions

1. Rinse the pig stomach under cold water making sure to scrub good and hard both in and out.
2. Remove any stringy fibers and place in a pot with the lemon juice and cold water. Make sure that it is completely covered with the water and juice, and set aside.
3. Wash the pig ears in cold water. Place in a pot with cold water and set aside.
4. Wash the pig tongue under cold water scrub and scrape good, and place in another pot with cold water and set aside.
5. After at least one hour drain the water from the pot that has the pig stomach and rinse and scrub the stomach once again. After you have made sure that it is completely clean, Place it in a pot that will be big enough to hold the pig stomach, pig ears and the pig tongue.
6. Add enough cold water to cover the pig stomach place the pot on the stove with high heat. Add the sofrito, salt and pepper, and adobo, bring to a boil. Now lower heat and allow to simmer for about one hour.
7. After the pig stomach has simmered for an hour add the pig ears and tongue. You can raise the heat until it comes to a boil, and then lower to a simmer once again. Allow to cook for another two hours.
8. Once all of the above has simmered and you see that it is nice and tender, remove from heat. 9- Remove from pot set and aside and allow to cool. Save the broth and also set aside.

Sauce:

1. Pour olive oil in a saucepan and bring up to heat.
2. Stir in sofrito once it starts to bubble add tomato paste and stir. Lower heat don't let the paste burn.
3. Add the tomato sauce and stir. Once the sauce starts to boil add a little of the broth from the pot that you had set aside. Add enough, but not to make the sauce watery. You are looking for a medium to light texture. This is a good time to taste for salt. If you would like a spicy sauce, you can add hot sauce or sprinkle some cayenne pepper.
4. Allow to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Cuchifrito:

1. Once the cuchifrito has cooled, slice the cuajo in strips about 3/4; to 1 in wide.
2. Do the same with the pig ears.
3. Slice the tongue into medallions about 1/2; in thick.
4. Place all of the above ingredients in a large bowl or pot. Sprinkle a little mojo not to much. and mix well with your hands.
5. Lightly oil a baking pan and place the cuchifrito in it.
6. Place the pan in a preheated 325 degree oven. Allow to roast for about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remember to stir and rotate from bottom to top so that it all cooks even.
7. In a separate pan or cast-iron frying pan place the morcilla and put into oven allow to roast along with the other meats.

Green bananas: This is the easy part of the dish

1. Rinse the bananas under cold water.
2. Cut off the ends.
3. Place them in a pot with cold salted water and bring to a boil.
4. Lower heat and allow to simmer for about 1/2; hour or until tender.
5. when done turn off heat and leave in the pot.