Destination
Cuenca
The story
Tigrillo is the breakfast of Loja, the small colonial city in the far southern Sierra of Ecuador near the Peruvian border. Green plantains boiled, then smashed hot in a wide pan with butter and garlic, mixed with cubes of crispy chicharrón (pork crackling), scrambled egg, spring onion and a generous handful of grated cheese, all served straight from the pan on a warm plate. Coffee on the side, a wedge of avocado, and a small piece of grilled sausage if the household is feeling generous. Substantial enough that the second coffee is often unnecessary.
Method
Cook the plantain chunks in salted boiling water for 20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and keep hot in the pot with the lid on.
Melt the butter in a wide heavy pan over medium heat. Sweat the red onion and spring onion 4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add the hot boiled plantain to the pan. Using a potato masher or a strong wooden spoon, smash the plantain roughly against the pan while stirring, so it breaks into chunks that mix with the aromatics. Don't puree; keep visible pieces.
Stir in the chopped chicharrón. Cook 2 to 3 minutes to warm through and let the pork's flavour infuse the mash.
Push the mash to one side of the pan. Pour the beaten eggs into the empty space and scramble briefly (30 seconds), stirring, until just set. Then fold the eggs through the plantain mash.
Off the heat, stir in the crumbled cheese and coriander. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide between 4 warm plates. Add a few slices of avocado to each. Serve immediately with strong black coffee and ají picante on the side.
Tips
- Green plantains only. Ripe plantains would sweeten the dish beyond recognition. Skin must be entirely green and firm.
- Smash while hot. Cold plantain seizes into a starchy brick that no amount of stirring will loosen. Straight from the boiling water into the pan, mashed while steaming.
- Pre-made chicharrón is the shortcut. Colombian and Ecuadorian grocers sell chicharrón (crispy pork crackling) in bags. If you can't find it, make a small batch using the technique from the Colombian chicharrón recipe, or use crispy pork lardons.
- The egg scramble is brief. 30 seconds of stirring in the pan, no more. Overcooked egg goes rubbery and dry in the finished tigrillo.
- Serve immediately. Tigrillo doesn't hold well; the mash stiffens as it cools. Plate straight from the pan.
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