Creamy green plantain and crab casserole with toasted peanut, basil, and pickled onion

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Grease a medium baking casserole or baking dish with the butter and set aside.

2. 2

   Place the sliced red onion in a bowl with 30 ml key lime juice, the sugar, and 2 g salt. Mix well and let it pickle while you prepare the rest.

3. 3

   Boil the green plantain pieces in a pot with enough water for 18 to 20 minutes, until tender. Drain and mash while still hot until rustic but even in texture.

4. 4

   While the plantain cooks, blend the toasted peanuts with the milk and 200 ml of the hot fish stock or water until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

5. 5

   Heat 1 tablespoon achiote oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced red onion, red bell pepper, and garlic for 4 minutes. Add the tomato, cumin, oregano, 3 g salt, and black pepper; cook 5 more minutes until a fragrant sofrito forms.

6. 6

   Add the crab meat to the sofrito and cook for 3 minutes, stirring gently. Mix in half of the chopped fresh basil and remove from the heat.

7. 7

   In a large pot or bowl, combine the mashed plantain with the blended peanut sauce, the remaining hot stock, the beaten egg, half of the fresh cheese, and the remaining tablespoon of achiote oil. Adjust with the remaining salt if needed. The mixture should be creamy but still hold its shape.

8. 8

   Fold two-thirds of the crab mixture into the plantain-peanut base, mixing gently so the crab keeps some texture.

9. 9

   Transfer the mixture to the greased casserole, smooth the top, and spread the remaining one-third of the crab mixture over it. Finish with the rest of the fresh cheese and the remaining basil.

10. 10

    Bake at 200 °C / 400 °F for 22 to 25 minutes, until the surface is golden around the edges and hot in the center. If you want deeper color, broil for 2 additional minutes, watching closely, at the same temperature setting.

11. 11

    Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, and serve the casserole with the pickled onion on top or on the side. Finish with the remaining key lime juice just before serving.