Plantains and Pigeon Peas for 40 for events

Ingredients

• 6 Ripe plantains (yellow even spotted with black)
• 3 large or 5 medium onions chopped (2 cups)
• 5 cups rice
• 7 cups boiling water
• 2 green peppers
• 1 red pepper
• 3 15-oz cans pidgeon peas
• 2 – 9 ¼ oz bottles Goya pitted Manzanilla olives
• 1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
• Ground cinnamon
• Cinnamon sticks
• Hot sauce

Instructions

Peel the plantains by slicing the skin long-wise with a knife. Cut in thirds, about 1-2 inches long. Cut each piece length-wise into 4 slices.

Heat olive oil to just cover the bottom of a frying pan. Lay out the slices in a pan and sprinkle with cinnamon.  After a minute, turn the slices sprinkling with cinnamon again. Remove to a bowl and repeat with more plantain slices until they have all been browned.

In same pan, pour in a little more olive oil, then fry onions a few minutes until translucent.

Preheat oven to 350F

In large (18” x 11”) shallow pan mix uncooked rice, onions and boiling water. Layer plantains on top.

Empty pidgeon peas into bowl with the liquid.  Add hot sauce, mint, sprinkle over rice and onions.

Cut up green and red peppers, mix together, sprinkle over pidgeon peas. Sprinkle olives on top.

Scatter a few cinnamon sticks.  Sprinkle with Cilantro

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and put in oven.

After 15 min reduce heat to 300F

After another 30 min check to see there is still water.  Add more if rice is still hard

Continue checking every 20 min until rice is soft and water mostly absorbed.

Total cooking time between 1 and 2 hours