Woven casserole

1. In a food processor pulse the potato, onion, green bananas, and garlic until it’s well chopped but not liquefied. Place this mixture in a large bowl and add vegetable juice, black olives, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, achiote oil, and pork cubes. Place in the refrigerator to marinate while leaves are prepared.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. With scissors, cut banana leaf into one 3-foot strip, a 2-foot strip, a 6-inch strip, and five 2-inch strips. Keep the bright side down on all leaf strips. Beginning at the one foot point on the longest strip, cut slits along the natural grain of the leaf every 2 inches, until you reach the two-foot mark. Be sure to leave about an inch uncut at the top and bottom to keep the leaf intact.

4. Weave a two-inch strip over and under the slits in the large leaf and weave the next under and over. Repeat the pattern with the next three leaves so that you create a checkerboard effect in the center of the leaf.

5. Place the two-foot strip in the center and perpendicular to the woven leaf.

6. Lay two 3-foot pieces of twine across an oil-sprayed 9” x 13” casserole. Then lay the 6-inch leaf piece over the twine. Gently lay the large woven leaf with second small one over baking dish and tuck down to line it.

7. Remove marinating pork mixture from the refrigerator and pour into the leaf lined casserole. Fold over all the leaves, tucking in where necessary. Add 1/2 cup of water around the outside of the leaves, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake on center rack of the oven for 50 minutes.

8. To serve, remove aluminum foil. Over the sink, place serving dish over casserole and turn over onto serving dish, allowing any liquid to drain off into sink. Remove the 6-inch strip to reveal woven section. Cut side open and spoon casserole over rice. Pineapple is a nice accompaniment.