PASTELES EN HOJA RECIPE

Steps:

• Cut the banana leaves into 8x8-inch squares wash, pat dry and reserve.
• If using pork or chicken:.
• Place a small chicken (about a 2lbs) or pork loin in a crock pot and liberally sprinkle with adobo seasoning until covered. Set on low for 6-8 hours When done, allow it to cool and shred it with your fingers. Now you can use it for the pasteles.
• If using ground beef:.
• In a bowl combine the meat with the onion powder, oregano, basil, 2 tbsp adobo seasoning.
• In a pan over medium heat, heat up oil and add garlic, onions and pepper. Sauté until tender. Add 1/2 lb of meat.
• Cook until no longer pink and drain. Return to heat and 2 tbsp of water and tomato paste. Cook until all liquid has evaporated. Reserve.
• If using cooked pork or chicken:.
• Heat up oil over medium heat and add garlic, onions and pepper until tender; add 1/2 lb meat. Season with oregano, bay, onion powder, black pepper and salt if needed. Stir until combined. Add 2 tbsp water and tomato paste, heat through, for about 2 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Reserve.
• Peel the plantains, niame and malanga. Grate the raw niame, malanga and plantain and mix with 1 tsp of adobo seasoning and 1 tspn salt. Add the broth either store-bought kind or the broth made if you slow-cooked the chicken. It will look like a doughy mass. Don't make it too wet.
• For assembly:.
• Put 2 tbsp of the plantain mixture on the center of a banana tree leaf, on top put 1 tspn of meat, and top that with 2 more tbsp of the plantain mixture. Wrap the leaf around it to form a rectangle; about 5-7" in length and 3-4" in width. Wrap another layer of parchment paper over each one. Tie string once around and once the other way to resemble a present, and tie a knot in the middle. At this point you can freeze them by wrapping a third layer of foil over each one and store for up to a month, just remove foil before cooking.
• When ready to make, put half a gallon of water in a very large pot and boil them for 20 minutes. Remove the banana leaf before eating.
• We usually eat them with Tabasco sauce and/or ketchup. Enjoy!

Steps:

• 1. For the annatto oil: Put the olive oil and annatto seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the annatto seeds start to sizzle, after 2 or 3 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the oil to cool. Strain out the seeds and reserve the oil.
• 2. For the filling: Put the cilantro, cider vinegar, garlic, celery, onions, orange juice, bell peppers and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend to a chunky paste.
• 3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the annatto oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the pork. Add half of the pork to the pan and brown on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl and repeat with the remaining pork. Set aside.
• 4. Add the pureed vegetables to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables start sticking to the pan, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add the browned pork with its juices and the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the pork is tender, about 1 hour. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid, increase the heat to medium and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool completely.
• 5. For the dough: Add the squash, chicken stock, plantains, 3 tablespoons of the annatto oil and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt to the bowl of a food processor. Blend into a smooth wet paste.
• 6. To make the pasteles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. Wipe the banana leaves clean and cut out fifteen 12- by 10-inch pieces; cut out the tough side ribs for easier folding. Lay out a piece of banana leaf. Spoon 1/4 cup of the dough onto the bottom half of the leaf and spread it into a 4- by 4-inch square. Put 2 tablespoons of the pork filling (side by side to make a rectangle) in the middle of the dough and place 4 olive halves on top of the filling. Take the bottom half of the banana leaf and fold it over about a third of the way up so the dough is completely encasing the filling. Continue folding like a burrito, tucking in the sides. If there are any tears in the leaf, patch them with scrap pieces of banana leaf. Tie the packet with butcher's twine, as though you were wrapping a birthday present. Repeat with the rest of the banana leaves. You should have enough filling and dough to make 15 pasteles.
• 7. Put the pasteles in the simmering water and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
• 8. To serve, cut off the twine and carefully unwrap the hot pasteles. Serve with hot sauce on the side.