Bandeja Paisa

About This Recipe

Bandeja paisa is the culinary monument of Colombia's Antioquia region. The dish reflects the region's history of subsistence farming: every component represents a different crop or animal product. The enormous tray was designed to fuel farmers and miners through long days of physical labor. Despite its size, every component is executed carefully: the chicharrón must crackle, the beans must be silky.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gdried red beans(soaked overnight)
• 400 gground beef
• 300 gpork belly(for chicharrón)
• 4 linksColombian chorizo
• 2 cupslong-grain white rice
• 4 largeeggs
• 2 ripeplantains(sliced and fried)
• 2 ripeavocados
• 1 largetomato(chopped)
• 1 mediumonion(chopped)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspcumin
• 2 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook beans

   Boil soaked beans with onion, garlic, tomato, and cumin for 60–75 minutes until very tender. Season with salt.

2. 2

   Make chicharrón

   Score pork belly skin, season with salt. Roast at 220°C for 45 minutes until skin is crackled and crisp.

3. 3

   Cook rice

   Cook rice using the absorption method with 1:1.5 water ratio.

4. 4

   Season ground beef

   Fry ground beef with onion, tomato, garlic, and cumin until cooked through and lightly browned.

5. 5

   Fry plantains and eggs

   Fry plantain slices in oil until golden. Fry eggs sunny-side up. Grill chorizo links.

6. 6

   Assemble the platter

   Arrange all components on a large plate. Serve with sliced avocado and arepa on the side.

Variations

• •

  Substitute chicharrón with crispy bacon

• •

  Add arepa to the platter

Storage

Individual components keep separately 3 days. Assemble fresh for best experience.

Frequently Asked Questions