Pastele Stew Recipes

PASTELE STEW

Steps:

• Set stove to medium high heat. Place large pot on stove.
• Add achiote oil, pork, salt, garlic, onion. Saute pork until browned, about 3-5 minutes.
• Then add tomato paste and parsley. Stir to combine.
• Lower heat to medium low and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour. If you like your meat more tender you can cook for a longer amount of time.
• Once meat reaches desired tenderness add olives and heath through. Stir to combine.
• Enjoy!

PASTELE STEW

Steps:

• In a large pot, add the chopped pork belly and pork butt, and simmer over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and onions and keep stirring until all the natural juices come out.
• Next add the chopped celery and stir.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the chopped Chinese parsley and stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste.
• Add the whole pitted olives and simmer.
• Fold the cooked banana dumplings into the stew and serve.

PASTELE STEW RECIPE - (3.7/5)

Steps:

• MASA: First, slice the skin of the green bananas all the way down on each side lengthwise, then soak green bananas in really hot water, just under a boil, for 5 to 10 minutes. This makes removing the skin very easy. Peel bananas and grate, using a fine grater, into a bowl. Set aside. ACHIOTE OIL: Heat vegetable oil in an old pot and add achiote seeds. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes and remove from heat. Keep oil in a pot and allow to cool. You can store oil for later use in a glass jar. Use extreme caution when working with achiote oil, as it will stain. STEW: Cut meat into cubes and chop onions, bell peppers, cilantro, chili peppers, and garlic. Cook pork with oil in a large pot, adding salt and pepper. Add cumin and oregano. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, chili peppers, and cilantro to pot and cook for 30 minutes. Add 3 cups water and cook another 45 minutes. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, and seasonings, if necessary. Add tomato paste and cook another 30 minutes. Add half of the achiote oil to the stew, stir well, then add remaining oil. Add olives and green banana (masa) one large spoon at a time, slowly, until desired thickness is achieved.

PASTELES GUISADOS (PASTELES STEW)

Steps:

• 1. PREPARE ACHIOTE OIL: Heat olive oil and achiote seeds over medium heat for 5 minutes or just until oil has taken reddish color of seeds. Cool. Store in tightly sealed glass jar. Note: This recipe makes more than what is called for in stew recipe.(I refrigerate mines and kept it until the oil was used up, about 3 months later.)
• 2. PREPARE MASA: Peel bananas and place in lightly salted water (halving them lengthwise and using gloves makes job easier, green bananas leave a sticky sap). Grate on smallest opening of food processor or cheese grater. In bowl, combine grated bananas and 1/2 cup achiote oil and mix thoroughly. Seasoning lightly with salt. Scoop into little balls and drop into salted boiling water until the dumpling float. Once the dumplings float, remove from salted water and fold into the pastele stew. Optional: Store in heavy ziploc bag in refrigerator, and use within 1-2 days, or freeze until needed.
• 3. PREPARING STEW: In very large pot or dutch oven, heat 6 tablespoons of achiote oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, cumin, salt, bay leaves, cilantro and pork. Cook 10 minutes, occasionally stirring until onions have softened but not browned. Add tomato sauce, olives and their liquid, and 4 cups water. Lower heat to a simmer and cook 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add masa and remaining water. Taste and re-season if necessary. Cover. Simmer 1 hour, stirring and checking from time to time to avoid scorching. The stew will thicken nicely, but if it gets too thick, add a little water to thin it to your liking. Season with freshly ground pepper. Serve over steaming white rice and garnish with chopped cilantro if desired. Note: I've also served this with a side of fried bread and bacalao salad (I will post these recipes later.) which was just as hearty and very lovely on the palate.

PUERTO RICAN PASTELES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Brown the diced pork in olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.
• Add the sweet peppers, chopped onion, recaito, garlic, adobo, oregano, and bay leaf, stirring well. Cook until the pork is no longer pink inside. Remove the bay leaf from the mixture and set aside to cool.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, grate the peeled yautía and the green plantains (or cleaned and peeled yuca). Use disposable gloves, as uncooked plantains will stain your hands and kitchen towels.
• Blend the grated roots in a food processor until creamy.
• Place the masa over a cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve for at least three hours so the excess moisture drips out.
• Once the masa is ready, stir in the garlic, recaito, salt, and enough of the achiote oil to moisten the dough and add a little color. You are now ready to assemble and wrap the pasteles.
• Prepare a work surface to assemble and wrap the pasteles. If you have friends helping you, set up an assembly line. Prepare 20 (10 x 5-inch) banana leaves, 20 (8 x 4-inch) rectangles of parchment paper, and 20 (18-inch) pieces of kitchen string.
• For each pastel, lay out a piece of parchment paper, topped with 1 piece of banana leaf. Brush achiote oil in a rectangular shape on the center of the banana leaf.
• Spread 1 1/2 to 2 spoonfuls of masa onto the center of the leaf.
• Add 1 spoonful of pork filling and top with another spoonful of masa.
• Bring the edges of the banana leaf over the top of the pork filling. Then repeat with the other side of the banana leaf so that the masa completely covers the top of the filling.
• Bring the edges of the banana leaf together and fold down over the top.
• Fold the edges of the banana leaf underneath the package.
• Bring the top and bottom edges of the parchment paper over the top and fold or roll down the edges to make a horizontal seam. Tuck the ends under.
• Tie with a string in both directions. At this point, you can freeze any pasteles you are not going to cook and eat right away. Place them in resealable bags, date, label, and freeze.
• Bring a stock pot of salted water to a boil. Place the pasteles in the water, making sure they are submerged. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
• Using tongs, remove the pasteles from the boiling water and place them on a plate. Carefully cut the string of each with kitchen scissors and very carefully open the banana leaves and parchment paper. Place the pastel on a serving plate.