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1. Place the pork belly in a wide skillet with a splash of water and 0.5 tsp of the sea salt. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes until the water evaporates and the fat renders, then continue cooking 8–10 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer the chicharrón to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving 1 tbsp of rendered fat in the pan.
300 g pork belly, skin-on or skinless, cut into 1 cm cubes,
0.5 tsp fine sea salt
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2. In the same pan with the rendered fat, sauté the onion (finely diced) and 2 cloves of garlic (minced) over medium heat for 3 minutes until soft. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, oregano, black pepper, and 0.5 tsp of the sea salt. Simmer 15 minutes, then squeeze in half the lime juice and keep warm.
2 clove garlic,
3 cup chicken stock,
0.5 piece onion,
1 tsp dried oregano,
1 piece bay leaf,
0.5 piece lime,
0.5 tsp fine sea salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper
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3. Peel the green plantains by slicing off the ends, scoring the skin lengthwise, and prying it off. Cut into 2.5 cm thick rounds. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 160°C (320°F).
3 piece green plantains,
2 cup vegetable oil, for frying
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4. Fry the plantain rounds in batches for 4–5 minutes until pale golden and tender when pierced with a knife; they should not be dark or hard. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with 0.5 tsp of the sea salt while hot.
0.5 tsp fine sea salt
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5. Mince the remaining 6 garlic cloves and mash them with the remaining 0.5 tsp sea salt and the extra virgin olive oil in a mortar (pilón) or large sturdy bowl to form a garlic paste.
6 clove garlic,
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil,
0.5 tsp fine sea salt
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6. Add the hot fried plantains in 2–3 batches with the chicharrón, reserving a handful of chicharrón for topping. Pound and mash each batch with the garlic paste until combined but still coarse and textured, adding a ladleful of warm broth if too dry.
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7. Pack the mixture into a lightly oiled small bowl, invert onto each plate in a mound, and top with the reserved chicharrón. Pour warm broth around the base or serve in small cups on the side, then garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of the remaining lime.
0.5 piece lime,
2 tbsp fresh cilantro (garnish)
