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How to Make Tacacho with Cecina and Patacones
Giacomo Bocchio demonstrates how to make tacacho con cecina, a classic dish from the Peruvian Amazon celebrated during the Feast of San Juan. He prepares tacacho (mashed fried plantain balls mixed with lard and chicharrón), cecina (smoked pork leg), and crispy patacones using a secret brine technique for maximum crunch.
Ingredients
Ají de Cocona
- 2 units Cocona fruit (diced)
- 5 units Ají charapita (chopped)
- 0.5 unit Red onion (brunoise)
- Cilantro (chopped)
- 1 unit Lime juice (squeezed)
Cecina
- 300 g Cecina (smoked pork leg) (scored and seared)
- 2 units Jungle chorizo (seared) optional
Patacones
- 2 units Green bellaco plantains (thick rounds, double-fried with brine soak)
Tacacho
- 1 unit Green bellaco plantains (peeled and cut into thick rounds)
- 200 g Pork belly fat (diced, rendered for lard)
- 150 g Pork belly (panceta) (cubed, fried into chicharrón)
Steps
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1Peel the bellaco plantains and cut into thick rounds.Tip: For bulk peeling, briefly submerge in boiling water.~5 min
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2Fry the plantain pieces at 160-180°C until tender but not golden.~10 min
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3Render pork belly fat into lard at 200°C. Fry panceta cubes into chicharrón.Tip: Start the panceta cold for maximum fat rendering.~20 min
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4Mash hot fried plantains with chicharrón, salt, and lard. Shape into balls.Tip: If they don't hold shape, add more lard.~5 min
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5For patacones: smash first-fried plantains while hot, soak in 10% brine 1-2 min, then fry again at 180°C until crispy.Tip: The brine creates steam during second fry for extra crunch.~10 min
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6Score and sear the cecina and chorizo in hot lard until golden.~5 min
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7Make ají de cocona: combine diced cocona, onion brunoise, chopped ají charapita, cilantro, salt, and lime juice.Tip: Include cocona seeds for extra juice.~5 min
Nutrition (per serving)
820
Calories
38g
Protein
62g
Carbs
48g
Fat
5g
Fiber
Cultural Context
Tacacho con cecina is the emblematic dish of the Peruvian Amazon, traditionally eaten to celebrate the Feast of San Juan (June 24). The dish combines bellaco plantains with cecina, a smoked and air-dried pork leg that is a form of traditional jungle charcuterie. The ají charapita, a tiny but intensely aromatic chili pepper, is the defining spice of Amazonian cooking.