Chorizos, Frijoles Paisas, Plantains & Arepas de Queso

While researching dishes to make, I came across a fantastic site for Colombian cooking. There are copious dishes to choose from, and they all sound incredible.

The author, Erica, describes a veritable feast called bandejo paisa, which has many components, like chicharonnes (fried pork belly), powdered beef (that’s chopped to a very fine consistency in a food processor), hogao (a kind of tomato relish), fried eggs, sliced avocado and more! Everything sounded amazing, so we selected a few of the remaining items for a mini-feast: chorizo sausages, frijoles paisas (a dish made with pinto beans and a sauce called guiso), ripe plantains, and arepas de queso (cheesy cornmeal cakes). 

As a shortcut for the frijoles, I used pre-cooked canned pinto beans and bacon and added that mixture to the cooked guiso and veggies, instead of the other way around. Normally, they're slow cooked for hours with a ham hock, then the rest of the ingredients are incorporated in that last hour or so before you eat. My version had a wonderful flavor and texture so, even though I haven't tasted them made the traditional way, I think this revised method was a success!

I recruited my wife as sous chef to help with this meal. While I prepared the frijoles and arepas, she grilled up the chorizos. We split ours in half before grilling, so they had a nice, crispy exterior and juicy, well-cooked interior. Instead of baking or frying them, we also decided to grill the plantains, slicing them on an angle into ovals. The outsides browned beautifully and this version is much lighter – and they’re just so so good! 

Even though we didn’t make the entire feast, the few items we chose were wonderful – a delicious, summery dinner that came together easily. Here's how we made it:

AREPAS:

1 cup masarepa (pre-cooked cornmeal)

1 cup warm water

1 cup cheese, crumbled or grated (I used a mix of queso fresco and mozzarella.)

Pinch of salt

FRIJOLES:

Several slices of bacon, chopped

1 small green plantain, finely diced

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced

¼ cup scallions, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 cup stock (I had chicken open, so I used that.)

1 large can (1 lb 13 oz) pinto beans, drained but not rinsed

1 cup carrots, grated

Mix together all the ingredients for the arepas and then let the dough sit for a couple minutes to stiffen up. It'll stay fairly wet, so dampen your fingers before handling it. Divide the dough into 6-8 portions and flatten each between your palms into a roughly ¼ inch thick disc. Set these aside till you’re ready to fry them up.

Next, start preparing the frijoles. In a large saucepan, brown the bacon over medium-high heat till nearly crispy. Drain most of the fat, then add the plantain and onions, reduce the heat to medium and cook for a few minutes till they start to soften. Mix in the tomatoes, scallions, garlic, cilantro, cumin and stock and simmer on low for about 15 minutes, till the tomatoes begin to break down.

While the guiso is simmering, heat about ¼ cup of oil over medium heat in a large skillet and fry the arepas till golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side. When cooked, place them on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

After the guiso has simmered for about 15 minutes, add the beans and carrots, raise the heat slightly (if needed) and simmer for another 20-30 minutes, till the beans are heated through and the flavors meld. (These will probably taste even better the longer they sit.)

Cook's Note: I was concerned I wouldn't be able to find masarepa, so I researched alternatives. You also can blend 1 can (about 15 oz) of hominy, about ¼ cup of the liquid from the can, and 1 cup of regular cornmeal in a food processor till fine and grainy. (It'll make extra, but it can be stored in the fridge for a couple weeks. Or, just fry up a bigger batch!) Luckily, our local Price Chopper carried exactly what I needed in the specialty flour section.