Guineitos Verdes (Green Bananas ) - PART 1 of 2: How to purchase, peel and cook them. ALSO, stay tuned for tomorrow's recipe; Green Bananas Stew, Super Yummy!

​If you never had green bananas you are missing a good and nutritious side dish. Let's just say that green bananas are the best excuse to put potatoes to rest for a little while.
 
When bananas are green they are hard and not sweet. Since they are starchy, you can use them just as you would use potatoes. You can mash them, slice them, make salad with them, pickle them or add them to a stew. After boiling you can drain them and use them as a side with olive oil, salt, pepper and granulated garlic. You can also "Escabeche" or pickle them by sautéing in olive oil red onions, fresh garlic, pepper corns, salt and bay leave, add red wine vinegar and simmer. Then add the sliced boiled bananas and serve.

Boiled bananas in salted water are very popular in the Caribbean. In Puerto Rico we also eat them as a side dish to a nice feast of steam crabs. Try them, you will love them.

How to purchase and peel green bananas:

At the grocery store look for deep green color bananas. Touch then, they should be hard to the touch when you try to squeeze them.

At home, cut both ends and make a lengthwise cut on each side. With a spoon, go from between the peel to the banana flesh without scratching it. (Follow my slide show)

Place the peeled bananas in salted water and boil for 10 to 15 min. until tender but not mushy. Test them with a fork. 

Drain them and use or put them in the fridge covered until you decide what to do with them.