Cocido madrileño – Spanish chickpea and meat stew

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 300 gWhole dried chickpeas
• 400 gBeef shank, in one piece
• 400 gStewing hen, a quarter of a hen
• 100 gSalted pork belly, in one piece
• 1Ham bone
• 300 gBeef marrow bones
• ≈ 3 lWater, cold
• 3Carrots, peeled
• 500 gPotato, 4 medium, peeled
• ½White cabbage, chopped
• 1Spanish chorizo
• 1Spanish blood sausage (morcilla)
• 2 tbspOlive oil
• 2 clovesGarlic, sliced
• 100 gVermicelli (soup pasta)
• to tasteSalt

Method

1. The night before, put the chickpeas to soak in plenty of warm, lightly salted water.
2. Put the beef shin, hen, pork belly and bones in a large pot, pour over the cold water and bring to the boil. Skim off the foam that rises to the surface.
3. Drain the chickpeas, put them in a net bag so they are easy to lift out, and add them to the pot once it boils. Lower the heat and cover.
4. Simmer gently for about 2½ hours, until the chickpeas are almost tender. Top up with hot water if needed, never cold. (In a pressure cooker, about 30 minutes.)
5. Meanwhile, cook the cabbage with the chorizo and morcilla in another pan of salted water for about 30 minutes.
6. Add the carrots and potatoes to the main pot and simmer for 30 minutes more, until everything is tender.
7. Drain the cabbage. Fry the garlic in the oil in a frying pan until golden, add the cabbage and sauté for 5 minutes.
8. Strain the broth into a saucepan, bring it to the boil and cook the noodles for 3–4 minutes. Season with salt.
9. Serve the soup first. Then bring out the chickpeas with the potatoes, carrots and cabbage on one platter, and the meats, chorizo and morcilla, cut into pieces, on another.

More recipes

• Pan-fried beef steaks with chips45 min · ≈ €2.95/port.
• Albóndigas – Spanish meatballs in sauce with rice1 h 05
• Burgers and chips35 min
• Spanish beef stew with potatoes2 h 35