Sweet Plantain Canoas with Gandules Rice and Melted Cheese

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 °C and line a tray with baking paper. Cut both ends off the plantains, score the skin once lengthwise and peel it off with your fingers. Brush with some of the oil and lay them on the tray.

   Add in this stepVery ripe plantains (skins mostly black) 2Vegetable oil 0.6 tbsp

2. Roast in the oven for 20 min, turning once halfway, until a knife slides in easily and the outside has brown spots.

   oven

3. Meanwhile make the filling: heat the rest of the oil in a 22 cm pan over medium heat, fry the diced ham, then add the chopped onion, pepper, garlic, annatto and cumin; cook for 5 min in total, until the vegetables are soft.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 0.9 tbspSmoked ham or bacon 50 gOnion 50 gGreen bell pepper 40 gGarlic cloves 1Ground annatto (or paprika) ¼ tspGround cumin ¼ tsp

   medium heat

4. Add the tomato sauce, pigeon peas, rice and salt and stir-fry for 4 min, breaking up the rice with a spatula, until it is evenly orange and steaming hot all the way through.

   Add in this stepPlain tomato sauce 40 mlPigeon peas, drained 80 gCold cooked rice (refrigerated) 200 gSalt ½ tsp

5. Cut a deep slit along the top of each roasted plantain without cutting through the bottom, and push the sides apart to make a boat. Pile in the filling, top with cheese and return to the oven for 6 min, until the cheese melts and bubbles.

   Add in this stepMozzarella or a white melting cheese, grated 60 g

   oven

6. Scatter with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

   Add in this stepCilantro 4 g