
Dominican Cod over Green Banana Coconut Pilaf with Roasted Sweet Peppers
An original Dominican-inspired dish where desalted cod is sautéed with a criollo sofrito and served over a silky pilaf of green banana, rice, and coconut, finished with roasted sweet peppers, cilantro, and lime. It brings together classic Dominican flavors in a fresh homemade presentation.
Ingredients
- 450 g salt cod (desalado and desmenuzado)
- 1000 ml water (for hervir the bacalao)
- 400 g green bananas (pelados and en cubitos small)
- 180 g long-grain rice (enjuagado)
- 240 ml coconut milk (without sugar)
- 360 ml vegetable broth or water (hot)
- 45 ml olive oil (divided)
- 120 g red onion (chopped en cubitos)
- 100 g Dominican sweet peppers (without semillas; mitad chopped and mitad in strips)
- 12 g garlic (chopped)
- 30 g tomato paste
- 2 g dried oregano
- 1 g dried thyme
- 1 g black pepper
- 1 unit bay leaf
- 15 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 30 ml lime (juice fresh)
- 14 g butter
- 2 g salt (or to taste, ajustar as needed the bacalao ya desalado)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the strips from half of the sweet peppers on a small tray, toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and roast for 12 minutes until tender and lightly charred. Set aside.
- 2
2. Meanwhile, place the desalted cod in a pot with 1000 ml (4.25 cups) water. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain very well, let cool slightly, and flake into medium pieces, checking for any bones.
- 3
3. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Add half of the red onion, half of the garlic, and the diced green bananas. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring so everything is well coated.
- 4
4. Add the long-grain rice and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the coconut milk, hot vegetable broth or water, the bay leaf, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Once it boils, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice and banana are tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- 5
5. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the rest of the red onion, the rest of the garlic, and the chopped sweet peppers for 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, dried oregano, dried thyme, and black pepper, and cook 1 minute more.
- 6
6. Add the flaked cod to the skillet and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes so it blends with the sofrito. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust salt only if needed.
- 7
7. Uncover the green banana pilaf and remove the bay leaf. Fluff with a fork and add the remaining tablespoon of lime juice and some of the remaining cilantro.
- 8
8. Serve a bed of green banana coconut pilaf on each plate. Spoon the cod sofrito on top, then finish with the roasted sweet peppers and the remaining fresh cilantro. Serve hot.
- 9
9. If you want to reheat, do so in a skillet or in the oven at 325°F (165°C) until fully hot, adding 1 tablespoon water if the pilaf seems dry.
Chef tips
Desalt the cod ahead of time so you can better control the seasoning. If the green bananas are very firm, cut them into small cubes so they cook at the same rate as the rice.
Substitutions
You can use salted pollock or a firm cooked white fish if salt cod is unavailable. Cilantro can be replaced with parsley, and long-grain rice with jasmine rice, adjusting the liquid slightly if needed.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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