PULLED PORK WEEK SERIES: Recipe #1: Pulled Pork Canoes from Ripe Plantains

 If you have never cooked ripe plantains, don’t worry, I will help you to work with them. These plantains are not only delicious but healthy as well. They are from the bananas family, however, just bigger and not intended to be eaten raw. When they are ripen, they become yellow with black marks and sweet. Just cut both ends, make a lengthwise cut from top to bottom and peel them. You can also use them like a potato, boil and mash them with butter, or just add olive oil.
 
Approx. Prep and Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Approx. Total Cost: $7.55 (or $1.89/serving)
Servings: 4 (I am displaying two full plantain, however, cut them in ½ to feed 4 people)
 
Ingredients
 
2 ripe plantains ($1.50)
2 cups of saved-leftover pulled pork ($2.00)
2 cucumbers ($1.75)
½ cup cheddar or mixed cheeses ($2.00)
1 Jalapeno pepper (.30)
1 tbsp. olive oil
 
Directions
Cut the 2 ends of the plantain and make another lengthwise cut to peel.
Peel and brown the plantains in a skillet with olive oil.
Drain and carefully make a cut in the middle to mimic the inside of a canoe.
Fill it with pulled pork.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 375 degrees for few minutes until the cheese melts.
Prepare your cucumbers as you like. I use my cheese cutter to slice it.
 
Hack: Garnish with jalapeno slices. (Serve with a green salad = $2.00), (slice 2 avocados= $2.00) (and/or yellow rice $1.25). These extra ingredients may increase the cost to $5.25 for a TOTAL cost of: $12.80 or $3.20/serving. Not bad at all!