Guineitos en Escabeche

2 lbs. green cooking bananas - about 10 green bananas 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. onions sliced into thin rings 1 cup white vinegar 3 to 4 cloves crushed garlic 10 to 12 olives 1/2 teaspoon salt 10 to 12 whole black pepper corns 3 to 4 bay leaves 3 cups olive oil or light olive oil 2 quarts of water

Directions

Cut the banana with a knife by cutting off the ends of the bananas and making a cut along the outside curves of the banana skins, but DO NOT remove the skins (don't cut your fingers) Place the bananas in boiling water and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of oil to make them peel easier. Boil the bananas for approximately 20 minutes on medium-low heat. If you boil them too long they will come apart. This is a Rican warning. While the bananas cook, make the Escabeche sauce by placing all the rest of the ingredients into a pot. Stir them well and place on medium heat until the mixture gets hot. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for approximately 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. I can almost smell the sauce. Yum! The banana is done when you lightly stab it with a toothpick and it is tender but firm. Peel off the skins and cut the bananas in 1 inch size rounds and put them in a glass or "Tupperware" bowl. Add the sauce to the bananas. Stir and mix well. Cover them and marinade them for at least 24 hours at room temperature.

Tips

You can refrigerate the bananas, but make sure they have cooled down to room temperature before you do.