Pan-Fried Breaded Beef with Potatoes and Egg (Bolivian Silpancho)

Silpancho or sillp’anchu’ is an emblematic dish of the Bolivian cuisine. Its name comes from the Quechua language, a spoken language group in Peru, in the Andes, in southern Colombia and northwestern Argentina. It means flat and thin as the steak that covers this dish. Its origin is not particularly old as it appeared in the department of Cochabamba in central Bolivia in the middle of last century. It consists of rice, potatoes, finely spread ground beef, breaded and fried in the manner of the famous Viennese schnitzel. This kind of steak patty covers the whole plate before being topped with one or two fried eggs cooked in oil or lard and some raw vegetables, usually fresh and juicy tomatoes as well as red onions that bring a flavour that is very slightly sweet to the dish. We owe the invention of silpancho to the cook Celia la Fuente Peredo who was the first to combine these different to make a delicious dish. It is so emblematic of the region of Cochabamba and its prefecture of the same name that it is even the only dish on the menu of most restaurants in the city. In 2000, her creator, Celia la Fuente Peredo, received the Medal of Merit from the civil society and in 2010, she received the bicentennial medal in the category Alejo Calatayud Distinction category of the Municipal Government of Cochabamba by the government. Two very important national recognitions in Bolivia. Her contribution to the Bolivian cuisine and gastronomy of the department of Cochabamaba is still recognized and appreciated today by all the foodies of the country.

24 oz ground beef
3 potatoes (firm-fleshed), peeled
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced
3 onions, diced
2 Tbsp. vinegar
6 eggs
½ bunch parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups rice
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 oz breadcrumbs
1 lemon
cumin
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached

Mix the tomatoes and onions. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar and set aside.

Place the whole potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Add salt and lemon juice and boil until cooked but still firm. Place in the refrigerator to cool them while preparing the rest of the recipe.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and fry the rice and garlic for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add 3 cups of boiling water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the rice for 10-12 minutes.

While rice is cooking, prepare the steaks. Beat two eggs. Make 4 thin patties with the ground beef. Season the patties with salt, cumin and black pepper.

Dredge the steaks in the flour on both sides, then pat them to remove the excess. Plunge the steaks into the beaten eggs and finally dip them in the breadcrumbs until they are evenly covered.

Heat a large amount of cooking oil in a skillet. Fry the steaks over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side, until they are golden brown.

Place the steaks on paper towel to remove excess oil and keep them warm.

Take the potatoes out of the refrigerator and cut them into slices or cubes.

Heat a large amount of cooking oil in a skillet. Dip the potatoes and fry until golden brown. Place them on paper towels.

Heat 4 Tbsp. of cooking oil in a pan and fry the remaining 4 eggs.

To Serve the Silpancho:
First, place a layer of hot rice over the entire surface of the plate. Add the sliced potatoes on one side and steak on the other. Place an egg on top.

Then garnish with the tomato and onion salad on top. To finish, sprinkle a little chopped parsley.

Makes 4 servings.