Pastelón (Puerto Rican–Style Plantain Lasagna)

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet onion
• 2 large cubanelle peppers
• 1 (6.5 oz) jar stuffed Spanish olives
• 5 links fresh chorizo (about 20 oz)
• 2 tablespoons + 2 cups vegetable oil, divided
• 1 lb ground chuck
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sazón con culantro y achiote seasoning
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• ¼ cup recaito
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock (or broth)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 6 ripe plantains
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 oz Monterey Jack cheese
• ¾ oz fresh culantro (or cilantro)
• 2 large eggs
• Cooking spray

Steps

1. Chop onion, cubanelle peppers, and olives coarsely. Remove and discard casings from chorizo (wash hands).
2. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in pan; add ground chuck and chorizo. Brown 5–7 minutes, stirring to crumble meat, until no pink remains and meat is 165°F. Stir onions, peppers, tomato paste, and sazón into pan. Cook 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in wine and bring to a boil.
3. Add olives, garlic powder, oregano, tomato sauce, recaito, stock, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce to pan; stir until blended. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced by three-fourths. Remove pan from heat and let stand to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place remaining 2 cups vegetable oil in large, heavy-bottom stockpot (or Dutch oven) and heat to 350°F. Peel plantains and cut in half widthwise. Slice each half lengthwise into 3 (¼-inch-thick) planks. Fry plantains (in batches) 3–4 minutes until browned. Season with salt.
5. Grate cheese (3 cups), chop culantro, and beat eggs. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with spray. Arrange one-half plantains in bottom of dish. Top with one-half each meat mixture (about 3 ½ cups), cheese, and culantro. Repeat with remaining half each plantains, meat mixture, and culantro. Pour eggs over mixture and tilt pan to distribute evenly; top with remaining half cheese.
6. Bake 30–35 minutes until edges are bubbling and top is golden. Let stand to cool 20 minutes. Cut into 12 squares.