Plantains and Beans
This is eaten once a month in my household. Every time I make plantains and beans, it stinks up my apartment building and the city block in the best way possible. While there are many steps to making this, it is relatively easy and you can interchange the ingredients to your liking. I like to have 2 types of meat in mine. I will always have some type of bone in smoked turkey; either necks, wings, or drumsticks. You can find these at pretty much any ethnic market, already cut up into chunks. For the other meat, I will use some type of pork; either pork shoulder or sirloin, cut into smaller stew meat sized pieces. But the option is really up to you. If you want this to be meatless, please do. If you want this to be vegan, use a vegetable stock and omit the dried crawfish.As far as beans go, it's really up to you. You can use black beans, red beans, kidney beans, black eyed peas, etc. I used a Dominican red bean. I personally prefer using a dried bean as opposed to a canned bean. Canned beans usually contain extra salt and don't absorb the juices like a dried bean will. A 1lb bag of dried beans will more then double in quantity once soaked and boiled, so I use a half a bag. They also cost a fraction of the price of canned and take up less room in your cupboard.If you aren't a fan of kale, you can substitute another green such as spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, etc.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs meat of your choosing (Beef, pork, chicken, smoked turkey)
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 plantains sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 1/2 cup dried crushed crawfish
- 1/3 cup palm oil
- 4 cups boiled beans (black, red, kidney)
- 3 whole habanero
- 1 bunch kale chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Soak your dried beans overnight. Boil them until soft. You can definitely use canned beans, but I think they are too soft and don't absorb as much flavor.
- In a dutch oven, add the cooking oil over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the habanero.
- Add any meat that is raw and brown with the onion. I used 1 lb of pork sirloin that I cut into cubes.
- Add 4 cups of chicken stock and smoked paprika. I also add and package of smoked turkey necks. Simmer covered for 1 hour.
- Smoke a doobie.
- Add sliced plantains, palm oil, and dried crushed crawfish. Simmer for another 20 minutes. If you have a shellfish allergy, omit the dried crawfish.
- Pack a bowl. Get higher.
- Add the kale and beans. Cook for another 20 minutes uncovered until it is to the thickness of your liking.
- Repeat step 7.
- Enjoy this! Comfort food at it's best!
