Just before the holidays arrived, Brian asked me to make something different.
My response,

“Um, I make different things all the time, every day, in fact.”

“No, really different. Make something you’ve never made before. Something totally different.”

Well, okey dokey ~ I try my hardest to come up creative and unique ideas, but apparently that was not fitting the bill.
I certainly HOPE this one did.

I’ve never before cooked with plantains…and Caribbean isn’t necessarily my style.
So, for this Caribbean spiced Pork Plantain Sweet Potato Lasagna, pull out the banana boats, the beach towels, and maybe the steel drums.

Caribbean Pork Plantain Sweet Potato Lasagna

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped, and steamed until soft
3 medium plantains, peeled and sliced into rounds
6 Tbs. butter, divided
1 1/2 lb. pork loin, cubed
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
Caribbean Spice Mix, divided
16 oz. sour cream
8 oz. Gorgonzola Dolce (sweeter, more mild gorgonzola)

Caribbean Spice Mix:
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried onion
1 tsp. dried garlic
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. dried jalapeño or chile pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mash 2 Tbs. melted butter with the cooked sweet potatoes and half the Caribbean Spice Mix. Set aside.
Melt 2 more Tbs. butter in a large pot. Sauté the plantains (with a touch of salt) until golden brown. Add to the sweet potatoes and gently stir (don’t break apart the plantains, just combine).
Melt the remaining 2 Tbs. butter in the same large pot. Add the pork loin, onion, pepper, and remaining Caribbean Spice Blend. Sauté until the pork is cooked through and the onions are translucent.
Remove from heat.
Stir in the sour cream.
Place half of the sweet potato-plantain mixture on the bottom of a square (8×8″) baking dish. Top with half the pork-onion-sour cream mixture.
Break apart the Gorgonzola Dolce with the back of a fork. Sprinkle half over the pork-onion-sour cream mixture. Repeat all three layers with the remaining ingredients.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese on top melts.

Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before diving in.

Pull out the tiki torch and umbrellas for the tropical drinks. This one is a heavy hitter!