Jerk Chicken With Pickled Bananas

 

Borrowed from NYT:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020376-jerk-chicken-with-pickled-bananas

Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

For the Marinade

• 2teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1½teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1cup soy sauce
• 1cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8ounces Guinness stout
• 1medium red onion (about 9 ounces), finely chopped
• 8scallions, thinly sliced
• ¼cup Tabasco sauce
• 1large nutmeg seed, freshly grated (about 4 teaspoons)
• ¼cup whole allspice berries, ground (about 3 tablespoons)
• 6large garlic cloves, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1tablespoon whole black peppercorns, crushed
• 1tablespoon honey
• 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 2habanero chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 3dried bay leaves
• 12boneless, skin-on chicken thighs

For the Pickled Bananas

• 6cups white vinegar
• 1½cups granulated sugar
• 4branches fresh thyme
• 3tablespoons kosher salt
• 2garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1habanero chile, split, seeds and stem intact
• 6cloves
• 6just-ripe bananas

• Preparation

  1. Step 1

     In a small skillet, toast the coriander and cumin seeds over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice grinder until pulverized.

  2. Step 2

     Add to a large bowl along with all other marinade ingredients (everything but the chicken). Add 1 cup water and whisk to combine. Alternatively, working in two batches, place all marinade ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2 or 3 times to combine.

  3. Step 3

     Place chicken in a large container big enough for all pieces plus marinade. Reserve ¾ cup marinade for later use, and pour remaining marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate 1 or 2 days (chicken can be stored for up to 5 days).

  4. Step 4

     Prepare the pickled bananas: Add all ingredients except for the bananas to a nonreactive saucepan and boil over high, 10 minutes. Chill completely. Once brine is chilled, peel and slice the bananas on the bias. Add to the brine and chill, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

  5. Step 5

     Heat grill to medium-low. Remove chicken from marinade and temper at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place chicken on the grill, skin-side down. Every minute or so, rotate the chicken a half turn so that the skin develops a deep, dark mahogany char and has been slightly crisped and rendered, 8 to 10 minutes total.

  6. Step 6

     Turn chicken over to finish cooking, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, skin side up. Brush the reserved marinade on the skin side. Remove bananas from brine and serve with jerk chicken.