Mollejas en Escabeche (Pickled Gizzards)
Mollejas en Escabeche is a traditional dish prepared in Puerto Rico during the festive season. This dish offers several variations; the meat can be replaced with fish or entirely substituted with cooked green bananas for a vegetarian alternative.
However, the classic version with chicken gizzards is the most popular one. The dish features a gratifying savory-and-sour taste, complemented by the inclusion of chopped vegetables.
Try this Christmas Puerto Rican dish as a zingy and delicious addition to the table.
Mollejas en Escabeche (Pickled Gizzards)
Mollejas en Escabeche (Pickled Gizzards) are during the Christmas season everywhere!
Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken gizzards
- 2 large white onion or yellow onions
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup stuffed olives sliced
- 8 garlic cloves diced
- 4-6 bay leaves
- 2 cups olive oil
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- salt to taste
Optional:
- 5-6 green bananas
Instructions
- Place a pot over medium heat and place the mollejas (gizzards) inside with enough water to cover them. Cook until tender for up to 2 hours. Check every once in a while to see when they're done and add more water while cooking if necessary.
- When they're done, drain the gizzards and leave them aside to cool.
- If you decide to use green bananas, cook them as well by boiling them unpeeled in a pot of salted water until fork-tender. Remove the peel once cool enough and cut into 1/2-inch slices.
- Once the gizzards have cooled enough that you won't burn yourself, start trimming away the excess fat or tough skin from around the edges and chop into smaller pieces.
- Mix the chopped vegetables (including the green bananas, if using) with the vinegar, oil, bay leaves and seasoning in the pot with the mollejas and cook for around 5 minutes until the onion has softened.
- Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. If making the dish in advance it can be kept in the fridge and served cold (it might taste even better after resting for a while!).
Enjoy!
Notes
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