And for those of you who wonder what a CHIFRIJO is : CHIFRIJO In our humble opinion, chifrijo is the king of Tico bar food. A good chrifrijo will attract a steady crowd of eager patrons. Even confirmed teetotalers will sneak into a disreputable gin mill to enjoy the culinary delights of this dish. It is the only boca that we aware of that has had a patent taken out by its inventor, Miguel Ángel Cordero Araya. He developed this heavenly recipe in the 1990s at his bar and restaurant (Cordero’s) in Tibás, just north of San José. The name was suggested by one of the first customers to try it and is a composite of CHI + FRIJO: the first three letters of three ingredients (chicharrón, chile and chimichurri) and frijo, from frijol (bean). It is a layered dish, so proportion and structure are important. Harmony among the component layers is critical. Chifrijo is constructed in a bowl as follows: 1) A foundation of white rice is laid down on the bottom of the bowl. 2) Next comes a thick layer of cooked savory beans. Originally red beans were used, but large beans are sometimes used as well. The beans are cooked in spices and, to us, are the heart of the dish. 3) The beans are crowned with a portion of chicharrón. Commonly, this is the Costa Rican version of chicharrón, small cooked pieces of pork. However, crispy pork skin or rind may also be used. 4) The meat is then smothered in chimichurri (aka pico de gallo) a chopped blend of tomato, cilantro, onion, sweet pepper and lime juice. 5) Tortilla chips are served on the side or tucked into the sides of the bowl. Chifrijo itself is not picante (spicy hot), but you are free to turn up the temperature. You will be offered chilera, a house blend of pickled hot peppers and vegetable; chilero, a Costa Rican hot sauce; Tabasco sauce. Or JIMMY TS HOT SAUCE! As with all bar food, variety in ingredients, size and presentation is the norm. Commonly, a bar will offer two sizes of chifrijo, a smaller bowl as a boca and a larger version that makes a decent light dinner.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 18:07:04 +0000
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