Guineos Escabeche Con Mollejas
Pickled green bananas with gizzards, or escabeche de mollejas is a beloved Puerto Rican dish full of bold, tangy flavor. Tender green bananas and gizzards soak up a zesty vinegar and olive oil marinade, paired with bright bell peppers, onions, and spices.
- 5-6 green bananas (Trim the ends and make a thin slit down one side of the peel, end to end.)
- water (To cover the bananas by at least an extra two inches.)
- milk (optional, helps keep it from turning brown)
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
- 8-10 green olives (sliced)
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp black peppercorn
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 2 tsp adobo seasoning (optional, to taste)
- 3-4 bay leaves (roughly chopped)
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2 lbs gizzards
- 8 cups water
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp chicken boullion seasoning (optional)
- 2 bay leaf
- 1/4 chunk yellow onion (whole, not sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (whole, or gently smashed)
- Rinse and trim gizzards. (Remove any tough membranes or excess fat.)
- In a large pot, add water, salt, chicken bouillon (if using), bay leaves, onion chunk, and garlic. Bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the gizzards and wait until the water returns to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a steady simmer, cover the pot partially, and cook for an additional 1.5-2 hours, or until the gizzards are fork-tender.
- Drain, cool slightly, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Trim ends of each banana and make a thin slit down one side of the peel, end to end.
- Place bananas in a pot with water (cover by 2 inches), salt, and optional milk.
- Boil for 25 minutes or until just fork-tender.
- Drain, cool slightly, peel, and slice into 1/2-1 inch rounds. (Your preference)
- In a saucepan, warm olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onion, bell pepper, olives, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, and optional adobo.
- Cook until peppers soften and onions turn translucent.
- Reduce heat to low, stir in vinegar, and simmer 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, gently toss bananas and gizzards (if using) with the warm escabeche sauce.
- Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight for best flavor.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish or appetizer.
“refers to the vinegar-based pickling marinade. Together, it translates to”
This dish is a staple at gatherings and holidays because it can be made ahead and tastes even better the next day. Whether you grew up eating it or are discovering it for the first time, this recipe will show you how to make it perfectly at home.
Want to bring a little Spanish into your kitchen? Here are the words you'll hear most when talking about this dish, along with how to pronounce them:
- Guineos de Escabeche (gee-NEH-ohs deh es-kah-BEH-cheh) "Guineos" means bananas, and "escabeche" refers to the vinegar-based pickling marinade. Together, it translates to "bananas in pickled marinade." At the supermarket, you can ask for "guineos verde" (VEHR-deh), which means green bananas.
- Mollejas (moh-YEH-hahs) This means chicken gizzards, the traditional protein used in this dish.
- Guineitos (gee-neh-EE-tohs) A casual or affectionate way to refer to green bananas, especially when talking about them in smaller portions or dishes.
Practice saying them out loud while you cook - it's a fun way to connect with Puerto Rican culture while making the recipe!
