Puerto Rican sweet plantain lasagne (Pastelón)

1. This dish needs very ripe plantains with yellow-black skins. Peel the plantains, slice lengthwise 4-5 mm thick and fry in the oil for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and caramelised; drain on paper towels.

2. In a frying pan, soften the finely chopped onion and bell pepper in 2 tbsp oil for 6 minutes, add the crushed garlic, then the minced beef and brown, breaking it up.

3. Add the grated tomatoes, sliced olives and capers, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 minutes until thick; finally stir in the chopped coriander (this is the picadillo).

4. Beat the eggs. Lay a third of the plantain slices in an oiled ovenproof dish, drizzle with a little egg, top with half the meat and a third of the grated cheddar; repeat, and finish with plantain.

5. Pour the remaining egg over the top, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and bake at 180 °C for 30-35 minutes until the egg is set and the top golden.

6. Rest for 10 minutes, then cut into slices and serve with rice and beans.

Tip: Pastelón is the sweet-and-savoury Caribbean take on lasagne – the blacker the plantain skin, the sweeter and more caramelised it gets.