Cuban Via Miami Feast Mashed Plantains With Oh Baby Garlic Tomato Shrimp On Top Grilled Flank Steak With Lime And Onions Quick Rice With Black Beans Food

PASTELóN DE AMARILLOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the inside of a 9-inch square baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.
• Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and a few cracks of pepper. Cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the peppers are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, capers, olives and brine, oregano, if using, and almost all of the cilantro (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish). Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce is thickened and reduced slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to fry the plantain strips, heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Heat until the oil until it reaches 325 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer or it bubbles when it comes in contact with a wooden spoon.
• Fry the plantain strips in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain the plantain strips on paper towels and add a pinch of salt while they are still warm. Set aside.
• To assemble the pastelón, first add half of the egg mixture to the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Next, layer a third of the plantain strips to cover the bottom. Evenly spread half of the meat sauce over the layer of plantains. Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella over the meat sauce. Next, add a second layer of fried plantain strips, followed by the remaining meat sauce spread evenly. Finally, top the meat sauce with the remaining plantains strips and pour the remaining egg mixture over the whole dish, using a pastry brush or spoon to spread along evenly. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded mozzarella evenly on top. Top with the reserved 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro plus a few cracks of pepper for garnish.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is completely melted and beginning to brown, another 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

MASHED PLANTAINS WITH OH, BABY! GARLIC-TOMATO SHRIMP ON TOP, GRILLED FLANK STEAK WITH LIME AND ONIONS, AND QUICK RICE WITH BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO (once around the pan), and half of the finely chopped onions. Saute for 3 minutes, then season with 2 teaspoons of the cumin and the thyme leaves. Pour in 2 1/2 cups of the chicken stock and raise the heat to bring to a boil. Add the rice and lower the heat to a simmer when a boil resumes. Cover the pot tightly. After 12 minutes, stir in the black beans and replace the cover. Cook for another 6 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat, season the rice and beans with salt, and stir to combine, then let stand until ready to serve. While the rice cooks, make the plantains with shrimp and the meat.
• Preheat a grill pan over high heat. The meat can also be prepared in a hot large cast-iron or nonstick skillet if you do not have a grill pan.
• Place the flank steak in a shallow dish and drizzle with EVOO to coat-about 2 tablespoons. Mix the grill seasoning with the tablespoon of cumin (eyeball the measurement in your palm). Add the lime zest to the grill seasoning and cumin. Rub the mixture over the steak evenly. Place the steak on the hot grill or in the hot pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, then turn and cook for 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let the juices redistribute for 5 minutes.
• Slit the skins of the plantains from end to end to vent them for microwave cooking. Wrap each in wax paper, twisting the paper at the ends. Microwave the plantains for 4 to 5 minutes together or 90 seconds individually on High.
• While the plantains and steak cook, place a medium nonstick skillet on the heat over a high flame. Add 2 tablespoons of the EVOO and the sliced onions. Sear the onions and heat through, but leave a bite to them. Place on a serving platter and cover with foil to keep them warm. Return the pan to the stove and reduce the heat to between medium high and medium. Add 2 tablespoons of the EVOO and the remaining finely chopped onions, the bell peppers, garlic, and shrimp.
• Season with salt and pepper and add the lemon zest. Cook until the shrimp are firm and the peppers begin to soften, 4 minutes or so. Add half of the lemon juice, the tomato sauce, and parsley. Turn off the heat. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
• Peel and mash the steaming hot plantains with the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock and a drizzle of EVOO. Season the plantains with salt and pile on a platter or dinner plates, then top with garlicky shrimp and tomatoes. Very thinly slice the cooked steak on an angle, working against the grain. Squeeze lime juice over the meat and arrange over the reserved cooked sliced onions on the serving platter. Fluff up the rice and black beans a bit, transfer them to a bowl, and pass at the table.
• Plantains look like green bananas and are available in the produce department.