Plantain-Stuffed Chipotle Chiles in Escabeche

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Salt
• 24 large (3 ounces total) dried cranberry-red chipotle chiles (aka chiles moritas)the softer the better
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch pieces
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, preferably coarsely ground
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 3 sprigs of fresh marjoram (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 small (1 ounce) cone piloncillo (unrefined sugar)
• OR 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 large, black-ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1. The chiles.
2. Measure 4 cups water into a small (2-quart) saucepan, add the sugar and 1 tablespoon salt.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Cut a slit down the side of each chile from stem to point.
5. Add to the boiling water, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Let cool in the water while making the escabeche and filling.
7. The escabeche.
8. Scoop the carrot into a large (10-inch) skillet.
9. Drizzle on 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and set over medium heat.
10. Stir occasionally as the carrot cooks until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
11. Add the 2/3 of the garlic, the allspice, thyme, marjoram, bay, vinegar, piloncillo (or brown sugar) and 3/4 cup water.
12. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the piloncillo, remove from the heat and add 2/3 of the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
13. Scrape into a bowl and cool.
14. The filling.
15. Rinse out the skillet and set over medium heat.
16. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1/3 of the onion.
17. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
18. Add the remaining 1/3 of the garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
19. Scoop in the cubed plantain and cook, stirring occasionally and mashing the mixture a little, for 15 to 20 minutes until thick and homogeneous: regularly scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
20. Taste and season with salt.
21. About 1 teaspoon.
22. The stuffed chiles.
23. Remove the chiles from the water.
24. With your fingers or a demitasse spoon, carefully scrape out all the seeds that are clinging to the seed pod and attached to the veins and discard.
25. Stuff each chile with the plantain mixture, then arrange them, cut side down, on a platter.
26. Spoon the escabeche over them and let marinate for at least an hour before serving.

sugar, salt, cranberryred chipotle chiles, carrot, olive oil, garlic, ground allspice, thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, apple cider vinegar, cone, brown sugar, red onion, plantains

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/plantain-stuffed-chipotle-chiles-in-escabeche (may not work)