Peruvian surf and turf chicharrón mixto is a generous, flavorful platter inspired by the fried seafood dishes served in Peruvian cevicherías. It brings together white fish, squid, shrimp, and crispy pork belly, all lightly coated, fried, and served with cassava, salsa criolla, and lime.
Its appeal comes from the contrast of textures: tender seafood, juicy fish, crisp pork, and a crunchy coating. It is an excellent dish for sharing at family gatherings, weekend lunches, or a Peruvian seafood-style meal.
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Peruvian Chicharrón Mixto
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients
Nutrition
- Calories: 610
Ingredients
For the mixed chicharrón
- 300 g firm white fish fillet, skinless and boneless, cut into cubes
- 250 g cleaned squid, cut into rings
- 250 g cleaned and peeled shrimp
- 300 g pork belly, cut into small cubes
- 120 ml freshly squeezed lime juice (½ cup)
- 12 g garlic paste or finely grated garlic (3 large cloves)
- 8 g salt (1½ teaspoons)
- 2 g ground black pepper (½ teaspoon)
- 4 g ground cumin (1 teaspoon)
- 180 g all-purpose flour (1½ cups)
- 120 g potato starch (1 cup)
- 6 g baking powder (1½ teaspoons)
- 500 ml vegetable oil for frying (2 cups)
For serving
- 500 g cooked cassava, cut into pieces
- 180 g red onion, thinly sliced (1 large onion)
- 40 ml freshly squeezed lime juice (3 tablespoons)
- 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped (⅓ cup)
- 10 g ají limo chili, seeded and finely chopped (1 small chili)
- 4 g salt (¾ teaspoon)
- 6 lime wedges
Preparation
- Season the ingredients, place the fish, squid, and shrimp in a chilled bowl. Add 80 ml of lime juice, garlic, 5 g salt, black pepper, and cumin. Toss gently and refrigerate for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, season the pork belly with the remaining 3 g salt.
- Make the coating, combine the flour, potato starch, and baking powder in a wide bowl. Lightly drain the fish and seafood, coat them in the dry mixture, and shake off the excess. Coat the pork belly in the same way for a thin, even crust.
- Fry the pork belly, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook the pork belly for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove it with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels.
- Fry the fish and seafood, fry the fish, squid, and shrimp in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove them when golden, crisp, and just cooked through; do not overcook the seafood or it will become tough.
- Make the salsa criolla, combine the red onion, remaining 40 ml lime juice, cilantro, ají limo, and salt. Let it rest for 5 minutes so the onion softens slightly while keeping its crunch.
- Serve the mixed chicharrón, arrange the cooked cassava on a large platter and place the fried fish, seafood, and pork belly on top. Add the salsa criolla on the side, serve with lime wedges, and bring it to the table immediately.
Chef’s Tips
- Use properly heated oil so the coating becomes crisp and absorbs less oil.
- Fry the seafood in small batches; overcrowding the pan lowers the oil temperature and makes the coating soft.
- Dry the fish and seafood well before coating them in flour and potato starch.
- Do not leave shrimp or squid in the oil too long; they should remain tender.
- Serve the dish as soon as it is ready to preserve the contrast between crisp fried pieces and fresh salsa criolla.
Traditional Variations
Peruvian cevicherías commonly serve fried fish, fried squid, or mixed seafood chicharrón. The surf and turf version adds pork belly for extra flavor and crunch while retaining the traditional accompaniments of cassava, lime, and salsa criolla.
Serving Style
Serve mixed chicharrón on a large platter for sharing, with cooked or fried cassava, salsa criolla, and plenty of lime. You can also add white rice or a fresh salad. Cold chicha morada or a light Peruvian lager pairs especially well with this dish.
Recommended Accompaniments
- Cooked or fried cassava
- Peruvian salsa criolla
- White rice
- Rocoto chili sauce
- Cold chicha morada
A Culinary Curiosity
In Peru, the word chicharrón is not used only for pork. In seafood cooking, it also describes fish and shellfish that are lightly coated with flour or potato starch and fried until crisp. This technique makes it possible to bring together seafood and land-based ingredients in one generous platter made for sharing.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use squid, shrimp, precooked octopus, scallops, or firm white fish. The key is to clean and dry everything well, then cut the ingredients into similar-sized pieces. Avoid frying too many ingredients at once, since seafood cooks quickly and can become tough when overcooked.
Potato starch creates a lighter, crispier coating than flour alone. It is often used in Peruvian-style frying because it forms a thin crust that helps fish and seafood stay moist without becoming heavy or greasy. You can combine it with flour for a balanced texture that holds well after frying.
You can cook the cassava, prepare the salsa criolla, and clean and season the ingredients in advance. However, fry the fish, seafood, and pork belly immediately before serving. Fried foods lose their crisp texture over time, especially after coming into contact with lime juice or salsa.
Heat the oil properly before frying and work in small batches. When the oil is hot enough, the coating seals quickly and absorbs less grease. Drain each batch on paper towels and avoid covering freshly fried pieces, since trapped steam softens the crust.
