Puerto Rican Shrimp and Sweet Plantain Casserole with Creamy Coconut Rice and Sweet Pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   1. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Lightly grease a casserole dish about 33 x 23 cm (13 x 9 inches) with a little of the butter and set aside.

2. 2

   2. In a bowl, combine the shrimp with the adobo seasoning, half of the dried oregano, black pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, half of the minced garlic, and the lime juice. Let marinate for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest.

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   3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Brown the sweet plantain slices in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until lightly colored and slightly softened. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

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   4. In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the onion, cubanelle pepper, half of the sweet ají peppers, and half of the culantro for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

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   5. Add the tomato sauce, green olives, capers, ground cumin, the remaining dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and fragrant.

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   6. Add the marinated shrimp to the sauce and cook for 2 minutes, just until they begin to turn pink but are not fully cooked. Remove from the heat so they finish cooking in the oven.

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   7. For the creamy rice, place the rinsed rice, coconut milk, chicken broth or water, the remaining sweet ají peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender and creamy. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining culantro.

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   8. Assemble the casserole by placing a layer of browned sweet plantains on the bottom of the dish. Cover with half of the shrimp sauce mixture, sprinkle with one-third of the cheese, and repeat with another layer of plantains, the remaining shrimp mixture, and another third of the cheese. Finish with the cassava flatbread crumbs and the remaining cheese on top.

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   9. Bake the casserole at 375°F / 190°C for 18 to 22 minutes, until bubbling and the cheese is melted. For more color, switch to broil at 450°F / 230°C for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely so it does not burn.

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    10. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Serve a portion of creamy coconut rice on each plate, top with the shrimp and sweet plantain casserole, and finish with chopped scallions.