Soups & Stews > Spain > Cocido Montanes >
Spanish Mountain Stew
1 C (about 1/2 LB) dried chickpeas
2 tsp. salt
Water
Cheesecloth
1-1/2 LBS beef brisket, rolled
1 LB pork belly, skin & bones removed
1 LB smoked back bacon
2 chicken drumsticks
2 fresh bay leaves
2 small onions, peeled
10 baby carrots
1 bunch baby turnips
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, tied in a bundle
2 sweet chorizo sausages (corizo dulce)
2 fresh pork sausages (substitute with Italian sausage if desired)
1 LB new potatoes
1 small head Savoy cabbage, sliced
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled & mashed
1/4 LB (about 3.5 oz.) vermicelli pasta
Mild green chilies (for serving; optional)
Wash chickpeas under cold-running water. Place chickpeas in a bowl, cover with water and set aside to soak overnight. Place the beef, pork belly, chicken drumsticks, sausages and bay leaves in a large cooking pot. Add enough water to cover ingredients by about 1-1/2-inches; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook for about forty-five minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken drumsticks; allow to cool, cover and place in refrigerator. Continue cooking meats for another thirty minutes, then transfer to a bowl with the cooking broth; allow to cool, cover and place in refrigerator.
The next day, skim fat from the meat mixture. Drain soaked chickpeas; place in a cooking pot and add enough water to cover by a depth of one inch. Bring to a brisk boil; when froth rises, add one cup cold water. Skim the surface clean. Repeat process of adding cold water and skimming surface. Simmer the chickpeas for about fifteen minutes; drain in a colander lined with cheesecloth. Place one onion on top, and then tie the cheesecloth into a bag. Place cheesecloth bag in a large cooking pot; add the meats with their cooking liquid. Add remaining onion, carrots, turnips, new potatoes, parsley and stock. Slowly bring mixture to a gentle simmer; cook for about thirty minutes.
Bring about two cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add two teaspoons salt and sliced cabbage. Cook for five minutes; drain. Heat olive oil in a skillet; add the crushed garlic and fry until just golden. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add cabbage to the remaining oil and cook for about two minutes. Remove five cups of the stock from the meats and pour into a saucepan. Add the vermicelli pasta; bring to a boil and cook for about five minutes. Pour into a large, warmed serving bowl or soup tureen. Cut meats and chicken into bite-sized pieces; place on a serving dish. Add the baby turnips, carrots and new potatoes. Place chickpeas on a second plate; add the cabbage. Serve.
Suggestion: Place dishes on a table and serve buffet-style with mild green chilies.
*Cocido Montanes recipe derived from El Cocido at Celt Net.
*Cocido Montanes image (C) Uhanu (2007). Used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic licenses.
Related Link:
Food Fare Culinary Collection: Savory Spain
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