About
Pack up your greens and head to the coast! Caribbean Greens bring together some fried, sweet plantains and a yummy concoction of leafy callaloo, crispy bacon, and some spicy Scotch bonnet peppers to make one really delicious side. You might even hear the ocean breeze in the distance as you munch. Perfect served with your favorite fish, Caribbean Greens has you livin' on island time in the most delicious way!
Ingredients
- 1 (1.5-pound) bunch callaloo, can substitute kale or collard greens
- 2 thick strips bacon, cut into pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper, can substitute habanero pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt, to taste
- water, to taste
- 4 ripe plantains
- nonstick cooking spray, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 -Cut the leaves and the soft stems off of the callaloo stalks and place them in a large bowl of cold water. Soak for about 5-10 minutes.
Step 2 -Transfer the callaloo leaves and stems from the water and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3 -In a saucepan over medium heat, add the bacon pieces and cook until they are crispy.
Step 4 -Add the garlic, the onions, and the thyme to the bacon pieces and cook, while stirring, about 1 minute.
Step 5 -Add the tomatoes, the Scotch bonnet pepper, and the smoked paprika to the bacon mixture and sauté, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 6 -Add the callaloo pieces and the salt to the bacon mixture and mix well. Cook until the callaloo pieces are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Note: If the saucepan becomes too dry, add the water, as needed.
Step 7 -Cut both ends of the plantains and discard the peel.
Step 8 -Slice the plantains lengthwise into medium-sized slices.
Step 9 -Coat a large frying pan with nonstick cooking spray and place it over medium heat.
Step 10 -Generously and evenly spray each of the plantain slices with the nonstick cooking spray and evenly season with the salt and the black pepper.
Step 11 -Add the plantain slices, oil-side down, to the prepared frying pan and cook, occasionally shaking the pan to redistribute them, until they are golden-brown and tender, about 4-6 minutes per side. Add more of the nonstick cooking spray as needed during cooking.
Step 12 -Serve the fried plantains over the callaloo mixture.
