The jibarito (Spanish: [xiβaˈɾito]) is a sandwich made with flattened, fried green plantains instead of bread, aioli or garlic-flavored mayonnaise, and a filling that typically includes meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato.[1][2] The original jibarito had a steak filling, and that remains the usual variety, but other ingredients, such as chicken and pork, are common.
 A jibarito made with grilled chicken | |
| Type | Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Venezuela and Aguada, Puerto Rico and Chicago, Illinois |
| Main ingredients | Plantains, garlic-flavored mayonnaise, meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes |
History
editChicago restaurateur Juan "Peter" Figueroa[1] introduced the jibarito at Borinquen Restaurant, a Puerto Rican restaurant in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, in 1996,[1][2] after hearing a Venezuelan cook talk about a Venezuelan sandwich called a patacon. The name is a diminutive of jíbaro and means "little yokel".
The sandwich's popularity soon spread to other Latin American restaurants around Chicago, including Mexican, Cuban and Argentinian establishments, and jibaritos now can be found in some mainstream restaurants as well.[3]
Related sandwiches
editOther Latin American sandwiches served on fried plantains predate the jibarito. They include a Venezuelan cuisine specialty called a patacones and a 1991 invention by Jorge Muñoz and Coquí Feliciano served at their restaurant, Plátano Loco, in Aguada, Puerto Rico.[4]
Reception
editThe Daily Meal included the jibarito in their article "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of".[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Saga of a sandwich. Chicago Tribune, June 18, 2003.
- ^ a b Zeldes, Leah A. "City of the Big Sandwiches: Four Uncommon Chicago Meals on a Bun". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant Guide. Retrieved Sep 23, 2013.
- ^ First look at Graham Elliot's Grahamwich. Chicago Tribune, December 15, 2010: "And it was damn near impossible with the jibarito; thin-sliced fried plantains were never intended to endure such treatment."
- ^ "Plantano Loco". Archived from the original on 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
- ^ Dan Myers (27 February 2015). "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of". The Daily Meal. Retrieved 2015-03-03.