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    Home » Recipes » Puerto Rican Inspirations

    Guineos en Escabeche

    Published: Sep 23, 2021 · Modified: Mar 7, 2023 by Zoe Morman

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    a pan with sautéed onions and garlic with lemon and vinegar this Recipe!

    Table of contents

    • What is Escabeche
    • Preparing the bananas
    • Making Guineos en Escabeche
    • My latest posts

    What is Escabeche

    The word ESCABECHE translates to pickled. The process is relatively simple. Onions, peppers, garlic, olives, capers, and peppercorns are lightly sautéd in oil with some lemon or vinegar (I use both).

    A bowl of guineos en escabeche

    Escabeche is supposed to be eaten cold, but my mom would always serve it hot, which I like. You can make anything in escabeche, chicken, fish, even green bananas, my favorite!

    Guineos en Escabeche makes a great side dish for any occasion or main course. The pickling of the onions with the lemon or vinegar, plus the olives and capers make the sauce tart. Even though green bananas are not sweet, there is a small hint of sweetness that counterbalances the tartness of the sauce. Some people add a teaspoon of sugar to the recipe, but I do not think it is necessary. If you are following a low-carb or ketogenic diet, try my recipe for zucchini en escabeche. A great alternative to this delicious and beloved side dish.

    Learn more about Bananas, Plantains, and Banana Leaves!!

    READ

    Preparing the bananas

    1.  Cut bananas off of the banana hand. Also, cut off the bottom of the banana. For this method, I will refer to the end that attaches to the "hand" as the top and the dark end the bottom.
    a bunch of bananas that have been cut off the "bunch"
    1. Make a cut to the skin only lenghtwise. Try not to cut into the fruit.
    A close up of a banana with a slit to remove the skin
    A close up of a banana showing how deep to cut a slit to  remove the skin
    1. At this point, you can separate the skin off the fruit with the blade of the knife or begin cooking it to remove the skin later. But for this preparation you will boil the bananas for about 20 minutes, then remove the skin. The skin peels off relatively easy once the bananas are cooked.
    A picture of cooked banana, removing the skin with tongs

    Making Guineos en Escabeche

    In a big pot add the green bananas. If you are using standard bananas, cut them in half. If you are using baby bananas leave them whole. I normally count two to three baby bananas per person or one and a half standard bananas per person.

    Fill the pot with enough water to cover and have the bananas float freely in the water.

    Bring the pot to a boil. Once it starts to boil add salt to the water. Boil the bananas for about 15 minutes or until when the bananas are pierced with a fork the fork goes in effortlessly and the banana falls off easily.

    While the bananas cook, start making the escabeche sauce. In a frying pan, heat oil. Add onions and peppers and cook until translucent.

    Add chopped garlic. Cook until garlic is aromatic and golden in color. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes.

    If you are using regular bananas, cut the bananas into 1-inch rounds. If you are using baby bananas, you can leave them whole or cut them in half.

    Toss in cooked green bananas. Heat through and serve. If preparing cold, pour bananas and sauce onto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving or overnight. This sauce works great with any other ingredient like; chicken, or salted cod and serve

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    📖 Recipe

    A bowl with guineos en escabeche

    Guineos en Escabeche

    Zoe Morman
    Escabeche is a pickling sauce we use with green bananas, fish, seafood, chicken; you name it!  It is deliciously sour and savory, full of onions, garlic, peppers, capers, and peppercorns.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Calories 62 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons Olive OIl
    • 1 Onion
    • 4 cloves of Garlic
    • 1 Cubanelle Pepper
    • 12 Green Manzanillo Olives
    • 1 teaspoon Capers
    • 6 Peppercorns
    • 2 tablespoons of Lemon
    • 2 tablespoons of Vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
    • 2 Bay Leaves

    Instructions
     

    •  In a big pot, add the green bananas.
    • Fill the pot with enough water to cover and have the bananas float freely in the water.
    • Bring the pot to a boil.  Once it starts to boil, add salt to the water.
    • Boil the bananas for about 15 minutes or until the bananas are pierced with a fork. The fork goes in effortlessly, and the banana falls off easily.
    • While the bananas cook, start making the escabeche sauce;
    •  In a frying pan, heat oil.
    •   Add onions and peppers and cook until translucent.
    •   Add garlic.  Cook until garlic is aromatic and golden in color.
    •   Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes.
    •   Toss in cooked green bananas.  Heat through and serve.  For cold serve, see notes.

    Notes

    1. If you are using standard bananas, cut them in half. If you are using baby bananas, leave them whole. I normally count two to three baby bananas per person or one and a half standard bananas per person.
    2. If preparing cold, pour bananas and sauce onto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving or overnight. This sauce works great with any other ingredient like; chicken, or salted cod and serve

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8gCalories: 62kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 0.7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0.7gSodium: 102.8mgFiber: 1.4gSugar: 1g
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Hola! I'm Zoe. I love all things food and enjoy cooking. I created this site to reconnect with my Puerto Rican heritage while living in the United States. This is a great place to reconnect if you are floating in the diaspora. I would love to hear from you!

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