Chifrijo is a delicious modern Costa Rican dish born in the 1990's in the capital city of San Jose.
Chifrijo is a layered dish of various Costa Rican foods and extremely popular in bars and restaurants.
The name chifrijo is a combination of Chi for chicharron and Frijo for frijoles.
See all other from Costa Rican Recipes | Recetas Costarricenses
Ingredients List:
- Everything needed for Chifrijo
for the Chifrijo
- 2 Cups White Rice, Cooked
- 2 Avocados, Sliced
- Tortilla Chips
for the Red Beans
- 1 TBSP Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Red Beans
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1/3 Cup Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 Stalk Celery, Diced
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1 TBSP Salsa Lizano
- Beef Broth
for the Pico de Gallo
- 1 Large Tomato, Chopped
- 1 Medium White Onion, Chopped
- Juice of 3 Limes
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Jalapeno, Minced, Optional
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
for the Chicharron
- 1 lb Pork Belly, Cut into Pieces
- 4 Cups Vegetable Oil
- 10 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
Preparation:
for the Chifrijo
For this classic Costa Rican dish you'll be layering red beans, pico de gallo and chicharrones.
for the Red Beans
In a medium sauce pan, preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and celery. Season lightly with salt and pepper and continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beans, cumin and enough beef broth to cover everything. Cover it and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cook for about 1 hour, taste for salt.
for the Pico de Gallo
Combine the tomato, onion, cilantro and jalapeño, if using, in a large mixing bowl. Add the lime juice. Season with the salt. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
for the Chicharron
Heat 1 cup of the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pork. Cook the pork, stirring as often as possible, 20 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and continue to stir until the pork has a golden brown color.
Remove the pork from the heat and allow to fully cool. Dice the pork into small pieces. Add the remaining oil to the pot over high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the diced pieces of chicharron until they have a rich brown color and are crispy. Remove from pan and drain onto paper towels.
To serve
In each small soup bowl, ladle in some bean broth, rice, beans (without broth), and chicharron. Top the chicharron with 2 TBSP of the pico de gallo and a quarter of the avocado. Generously drizzle with Salsa Lizano and serve with tortilla chips and slices of lime on the side.