Corvina Cacerola (Ecuadorean Fish Casserole)

This is an odd little gem of a recipe, not at all untypical of the way Ecuadoreans use plantains. Corvina is a saltwater fish very common in Latin America. Sea bass is a good substitute, though most any white, firm fleshed fish would do. There is a recipe for making achiote from annatto seeds by Rita L -- Annatto Oil. After Kathy's review, I did go over the recipe and make some corrections.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4  green plantains
• 1  lb  fish fillet
• 4  ounces onions, minced
• 4  ounces bell peppers, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 4  ounces tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 2  ounces unsalted peanuts
• 7  ounces unsalted butter, plus
•  additional unsalted butter, for buttering baking dish
• 2  teaspoons annatto oil (achiote oil , manteca)
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 4  cups water
•  coarse salt
•  fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Grate the plantains, separating one grated plantain from the rest.
2. Butter a pyrex baking dish large enough to hold all the ingredients.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Finely grind the peanuts and dissolve them in 1/2 cup water (this is not meant to be peanut butter, tho, in a pinch, you could use it).
5. Saute the onion in one ounce of butter over medium heat till softened, then remove from heat and add the peppers, tomatoes and fish fillets cut into pieces; add the peanut mixture, the oregano and the sugar and mix well.
6. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
7. Bring 3 and 1/2 cups of water to boil with 2 ounces of butter, some grated pepper and one teaspoon of manteca(annato oil); as soon as it boils, add the three grated plantains and cook, stirring frequently until a smooth and relatively thick mixture forms.
8. Place half the plantain mixture in the prepared pan, smoothing it out so that the bottom of the baking dish is covered.
9. Layer the fish mixture on top and then cover the fish mixture with the remaining plantain paste.
10. In a saute pan over medium high heat, melt the remaining four ounces of butter and teaspoon of manteca; add the one remaining grated plantain and saute until well mixed.
11. Spread this mixture over the top of the casserole.
12. Bake the casserole until brown, about one hour.