Butifarras
Butifarras
Butifarras are a popular Peruvian sandwich consisting of country ham and salsa criolla on ciabatta bread. The sandwich was created by Italian immigrants who smoked their own artisan hams, hence the birth of jamon del pais.This is one of the finest sandwiches I’ve ever eaten. It is worth all the steps in preparation to consume this Peruvian monstrosity.
Ingredients
- ciabatta bread
- jamon del pais sliced
- iceberg lettuce
- salsa criolla
Spread
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tbsp aji amarillo paste
Instructions
- Mix the mayo, mustard, and aji amarillo paste together. Set aside.
- Slice the ciabatta bread in half.
- Spread the sauce on both sides of the bread. Place lettuce on the bottom piece of the ciabatta.
- Place a pile of the jamon del pais on the lettuce.
- Place a heaping amount of the salsa criolla on the pork.
Jamon del Pais (Peruvian Country Ham)
Jamon del Pais is a Peruvian style ham used to make butifarra sandwiches. While technically not ham since it isn’t cured(it’s really more roast pork), it’s nothing short of delicious. Traditionally pork leg is used to make the ham, but you can use pork sirloin or loin. The pork is simmered in stock for 90 minutes, then rubbed with a garlic and aji panca marinade and baked in the oven.
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork leg, pork sirloin, or pork loin
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion quartered
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 gallon chicken stock or enough to completely submerge the pork
- 2 cups pork braising liquid saved from the boil
Ham Seasoning
- 1/4 cup aji panca paste
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 packet sazon with achiote
Instructions
- Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat up olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Place the pork into the pot.
- Sear the pork on all sides for 10 minutes.
- Pour enough chicken stock into the pot to cover the pork completely. Add in the onions and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 90 minutes.
- Take the pork out of the pot and let it cool.
- Mix together all of the ham seasoning ingredients.
- Cover the entire ham with the seasoning.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pork on a baking pan lined in foil. Pour 2 cups of the braising liquid in the pan.
- Bake the ham for 40 minutes, flipping half way through. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Salsa Criolla
Salsa criolla is an onion relish eaten with just about everything in Peruvian cuisine. The onions are soaked in salted ice water for 10 minutes. This process allows the onions to release their sugars, making them sweet. Then they’re mixed with jalapeños, cilantro, parsley, lime juice, and vinegar. The onions marinate for 30 minutes, resulting in what I like to call sugary onion candy. The onions are less oniony in flavor and have more of a sweet and sugary taste with a kick of spice from the jalapeños. I recommend making a double batch because you will eat half of it before serving it with whatever you’re making.
Equipment
- mandolin slicer
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced on a mandolin
- 1 jalapeños sliced paper thin on a mandolin
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Place the sliced onions in ice cold salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- Mix all of the ingredients together. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for 30 minutes before serving.
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