Hi Beehaw! Last week, I made an authentic gumbo with a painstaking dark roux and ate it while watching The Princess and the Frog with my girlfriend. I quite enjoyed cooking a meal that matched the movie and wanted to do a themed dinner again for our next movie, Encanto!
I haven’t seen Encanto yet but I’m vaguely aware it’s Colombian. Does anyone have suggestions for popular Colombian dishes? I am a hobbyist cook so long and intricate recipes aren’t a turn off. I live in Southern California so I have lots of access to Mexican and international markets.
Thanks and looking forward to your suggestions!
My wife and I have been making Colombian arepas a lot since Encanto came out. This is J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s: https://www.seriouseats.com/colombian-style-arepas-griddled-or-grilled-corn-cakes-recipe
This looks great and I love Kenji’s recipes. I saw the related braised pork arepa… That might be the ticket! 🤤
You should take a look at this blog: https://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/ It is not my blog but I am familiar with colombian cuisine in case you have questions.
Thank you for the site recommendation! What are some iconic/popular dishes in Colombian cuisine? Are there specific regional differences in Colombian cuisine?
There are different regions each with their own cuisine. For example in the coastal regions people consume lots of fish and seafood, while in the center of the country, with the lower temperatures given the altitude, you find more soups and hearty foods. Here are some iconic dishes:
- Ajiaco (chicken and potato soup)
- Bandeja paisa (a platter with beans, rice, meat, etc)
- Lechona (stuffed pig)
- Viudo de pescado (poached fish)
- Cazuela de mariscos (seafood soup)
- Tamales (bigger than the ones from Mexico and with more stuffing, several varieties around the country)
Caldo de Costilla is a staple at my house because of how easy it is. Basically a “throw everything into the pot until it tastes good” hangover stew.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023048-caldo-de-costilla-colombian-beef-rib-soupKenji was mentioned; he has a ton of Colombian recipes since his wife is Colombian if I recall correctly. He had a recent video with another really unique and cool looking soup that I haven’t gotten around to trying yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFLzI_Tq8P4
Thank you for this recommendation!
