by Jasson Caceres
Pan Con Chicharron is a Peruvian sandwich made from the delicious combination of slow braised pork and sweet potato topped with a crisp red onion salad. In Peru, it’s typical to buy from a street vendor for breakfast.
Ingredients:
2 pounds pork belly or other cut of pork
3 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste
1 large red onion, sliced thin
juice from 3-4 limes
1 garlic clove
2 stems fresh mint
1 aji amarillo pepper, or other fresh pepper of your choice
olive or vegetable oil
soft rolls
2 sweet potatoes, sliced thin
Preparation:
Soak the pork in a pot filled with water and 2 teaspoons of salt for approximately 6 hours. Drain the water and refill pot with fresh water. Boil with garlic clove and one teaspoon of salt for 40 minutes to one hour. Meanwhile, slice the onion in long skinny sections and chop the pepper finely. Pull the mint from the stem and add to the salad. Before serving add the lime juice and salt to taste. Mix well.
With a fork see if your pork is soft and tender. Once it is, drain the water and add black pepper to the pork to taste. Heat one cup of olive or vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Once it's heated fry the pork until it's golden brown and crispy on both sides. Once you have finished frying the pork, set aside and slice into small pieces. Use the same oil to fry the sweet potato slices until crispy. Serve pork on the roll with onion salad on top. Sweet potatoes can be put on the sandwich or used as a side. Serves 6.