Chiktay Aranso Stuffed Plantain Cups
4  to  6 smoked herring
1/2  cup  olive oil  
1 finely diced carrot  
1 finely diced red  onion  
1 cup  finely  diced green  bell  pepper  
1 cup  finely  diced red  bell  pepper  
1 cup finely diced orange bell pepper  
2 finely chopped  Scotch bonnet  chiles  (including  the seeds), plus 1 whole Scotch bonnet  chile  
1 tablespoon minced garlic    
2 whole cloves    
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon  powder, or to  taste    
1/2  teaspoon adobo seasoning (optional based on saltiness of herring)    
1 teaspoon garlic powder    
1 sprig fresh thyme    
Roughly chopped fresh parsley    
3 tablespoons lime juice  
3 cups  frying  oil  
2 green plantains    
Kosher salt  
Finely diced  tomato,  finely  diced avocado and sour cream,  for garnish  (optional)
Instructions:
Remove the saltiness of the herring by placing it in a bowl of cold water and allowing it to soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain  the  water, then place  the  herring in  a pot of water and  boil for 10 to 15 minutes.  The herring should taste  no  more than  mildly salty; if it is still salty, boil for another 5 minutes and drain.  Shred the herring with 2 forks,  removing any large bones.
Pour  the olive  oil into a  large skillet  and set over  medium-high heat.  Add  the carrots and red onions and  cook, covered,  for 2 minutes.  Add  the green pepper, red pepper, orange pepper  and  chopped  Scotch bonnet  chiles  and  cook,  covered,  stirring  frequently,  until  the vegetables  soften,  about  5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook an additional minute.  
Add  the  shredded herring.  Puncture the whole  Scotch bonnet  chile  with the 2 cloves  and add it  to the  skillet.  Add the  chicken bouillon,  adobo seasoning, garlic powder,  thyme,  some  parsley  and lime juice. Mix everything well. Cover and let  cook  down for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Discard the whole Scotch bonnet  and the thyme sprig.    
Pour the  frying oil into a large skillet and set over  medium-high heat.  Peel  the  plantains  and cut each into 4 to 5 pieces. Fry  the pieces until  lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Remove from  the pan  and press  each piece of  plantain flat; you can use a plantain press or  the bottom of a small heavy pan or a plate.  Mold the plantains into cup shapes (you can use  a  lemon squeezer or  a  tostonera  with a rounded shape).  Carefully fry  the plantain cups  again for  1 to 2  minutes.  Drain the cups on  a  paper towel-lined plate  or on a wire rack and sprinkle  lightly  with  salt (optional).    
Fill  the  fried plantain cups with the smoked herring  mixture. Garnish with  diced tomato,  avocado  and  sour cream  if using  and enjoy!  
