What is bandeja paisa?
Bandeja paisa is a popular dish typical of Colombian cuisine. It consists of a multitude of different preparations making it very colorful and appetizing.
Antioqueño beans are found there. They are dry red beans, usually of the bola roja variety, cooked with pig’s trotters, green plantain, carrot, cumin, cilantro and a mixture of two different sauces. The first is salsa de aliños, which consists of red and green peppers, onions, garlic and saffron. The other sauce is salsa hogao, of Colombian Creole origin made with tomatoes, onions and garlic.
In addition to beans, the bandeja paisa colombiana contains white rice, boiled beef, called carne molida, usually shank or brisket, flavored with onions, garlic and cumin. Once cooked, the meat is shredded and reduced to a kind of mince.
People also add chorizo cocido, morcilla (local black pudding), avocados, fried plantains, fried eggs, chicharrón, that is to say, long-boiled, dried pork breast or skin, which is then fried in oil to make it extremely crispy.
Finally, bandeja paisa is served with arepa, white corn buns that can be filled with ham, cheese, meat, beans or eggs. They are typical of Colombian or Venezuelan cuisine. The amount of butter they contain makes them very soft and delicious.
The whole dish is certainly hearty but also very fragrant and full of flavor. Bandeja paisa is usually served on a very large plate or directly on a platter. Colombian bandeja can also be flavored with mazamorra, an atole-like drink, and panela molida.
What is the origin of bandeja paisa?
Bandeja paisa is typical of the regions of Antioquia, Caldas, Eje Cafetero as well as north of the Cauca Valley and north of Tolima. The dish appeared in the 1950s and quickly became popular in Colombia.
The word, paisa, refers to the region of the same name, while bandeja means “plateau” in Spanish. The origins of the bandeja could be quite varied since it contains indigenous influences from Colombia but also Spanish, African, British and French.
Bandeja could also have developed in restaurants in Medellin and Bogota from another dish, the seco already made with rice, beans, meat, plantain and accompanied by arepa.
In 2005, the Colombian government wanted to make bandeja paisa its national dish by changing its name to bandeja montañera (Mountain Plateau). The proposal was met with rejection by many Colombians for whom the dish was not representative of the diet of the entire country. For them, bandeja paisa is exclusively consumed in certain regions. Today it is ajiaco that is often considered the official dish of Colombia.
How to make bandeja paisa
The preparation must imperatively begin with the preparation of chicharrón, beans and carne molida because these three preparations are the longest.
Once the beans are soaked, simply cook them with pieces of pig’s trotters which will give a creamy consistency to the sauce. During cooking, add the vegetables, salsa de aliños and cumin, before adding the hogao salsa and cilantro.
Once the beans are tender, simply remove the pig’s trotters, remove the bones and cut the meat into small pieces. The whole should be well tied and tasty.
Carne molida looks like stew, it is a piece of meat boiled for a long time in water after marinating it with cumin, onions and garlic. Once the meat is tender, it is chopped to a sort of mince.
The broth, once defatted and clarified, can be used for making soup, for example. Rice can be steamed or pilaf or simply cooked in water. The chorizo is cooked in water while the blood sausages and eggs are pan-fried. Plantains should be fried in oil just like chicharrón to make them crispy.
Arepas can be made very quickly by mixing together flour, salt and water. Then add melted butter and work the dough until it is no longer sticky. It is then enough to form round and flat pancakes and to cook them in the butter for a few minutes.
Bandeja paisa is presented on a large round or oval tray or in large plates that can hold all the elements. Raw avocado is added to the various elements, which will bring a lot of freshness to the dish.
What are the variations?
This large blend of preparations is reminiscent of other dishes such as an English mixed grill, French cassoulet, Brazilian feijoada or Cuban moros y cristianos.
In the Antioquia region, some restaurants add grilled beef steak, pork chops, or grilled liver to the bandeja paisa. There are lighter versions, such as in Bogota, where chicken breast replaces the pork. It is also possible to replace the blood sausage or chorizo with a simple fresh salad.
This article is validated by our expert in Colombian cuisine, Chef Harry Sasson. His eponymous flagship restaurant in Bogota has regularly been ranked in the Latin America Top 50 Restaurant list.
Bandeja Paisa
Ingredients
For the Antioqueño beans
- 9 oz dried red beans (ideally bola roja) or pinto, previously soaked for 8 hours
- 10 oz pig's trotters , sliced
- ½ green plantain , peeled and diced
- 1 large carrot , peeled and cut into chunks
- ½ cup salsa de aliños (Colombian condiment)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1¼ quarts water , or more if necessary
- 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro , chopped
- ½ cup hogao salsa (Colombian Creole sauce)
- Salt
- Pepper
For the white rice
- 10 oz long grain white rice
- Salt
For the minced meat
- 1 lb beef shank (or brisket)
- 1¼ quarts water
- 3 cloves garlic , crushed
- 2 green onions , chopped
- 1 small onion , finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
For the cocido chorizo
- 6 chorizos
- 1 quart water
For the fried eggs
- 6 eggs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
For the plátano maduro
- 3 ripe plantains
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
For the arepas
- 1 cup precooked white corn flour (pan)
- 1 cup lukewarm water (at 97 F /36°C)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter , warmed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter for cooking
For the chicharrones
- See our recipe here
To serve
- 6 morcillas (Spanish blood sausage), fried or grilled
- 3 avocados (½ per person)
- 6 arepas
Instructions
- Prepare the beans, hogao and minced meat the day before and store them in the refrigerator.
Antioqueño beans
- Drain the beans and pour them into a Dutch oven with the pieces of pig's trotters. Add water and bring to a boil over medium / high heat.
- As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
- Add the plantain, carrot, salsa de aliños, and cumin and mix well.
- Cover and cook for 1 hour over low heat.
- Add the hogao salsa and fresh cilantro. Season with salt, pepper and mix.
- Cover and cook again for 15 minutes, or until the beans are tender.
- Remove the pig's trotters from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. Discard the skin and bones of the pig's trotters and cut the meat into pieces. Reserve.
- Remove the carrots, blend with 1 ladle of the cooking liquid until a velvety consistency is obtained. Pour this mixture into the pot.
Minced meat
- Place the meat in a salad bowl, add the garlic, fresh onions, cumin, onion, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- In a saucepan, place the chilled meat and pour the water over it. Bring to a boil over medium / high heat.
- Reduce the heat, cover and cook over medium / low heat for 1 hour.
- Drain the meat, and let cool.
- Cut the meat into pieces and chop in a food processor or chopper until it has a minced consistency.
White rice
- Cook the white rice according to the instructions on the pack.
Cocido chorizo
- Place the chorizos in a saucepan.
- Add water and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Fried eggs
- Over medium heat, heat olive oil in a large skillet.
- Crack the eggs into the pan and cook until the desired doneness.
Plátano maduro
- Cut the plantains in half lengthwise.
- Heat a large quantity of oil in a pan and bring it to 350 F (180°C).
- Place the plantains in the hot oil and fry on each side until golden brown.
Arepas
- Place the precooked corn flour and salt into a large bowl.
- While mixing by hand, pour in the water very gradually.
- Add the butter.
- Add a quarter of the amount of cheese and knead for 15 minutes to obtain a slightly sticky dough. If the texture is not good, add more flour or water until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky.
- Add water if the dough is brittle, or flour if it is too sticky.
- On a work surface, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll them out.
- Flatten each one with the palm of your hand to form a pancake about ¼ inch (5mm) thick.
- Heat the butter in a frying pan or on an electric hotplate.
- Brown the 6 patties over medium heat, turning regularly for 5 minutes.
To serve
- Place all elements into a large dish or tray per person.
- Add ½ avocado, 1 morcilla, 1 arepa to each dish, and serve immediately.
Video
Sources
Wikipedia (ES) – Bandeja Paisa
Wikipedia (EN) – Bandeja Paisa
Wikipedia (FR) – Bandeja Paisa
Esther and Morgan are the two foodies behind Renards Gourmets. They are based in Paris where they develop four-handed recipes and culinary photos.
Shia says
A total and complete meal. Truly appetizing!