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El Cocido

El Cocido is a traditional Spanish recipe for classic one-pot stew of beef, pork and chicken in a vegetable, potato and cabbage base with chickpeas and vermicelli noodles — a one-pot classic that is a mainstay of traditional Spanish cookery. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Spanish version of: El Cocido.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

135 minutes

Total Time:

155 minutes

Serves:

6–8

Rating: 4.5 star rating

Tags : Chilli RecipesPork RecipesBeef RecipesChicken RecipesVegetable RecipesBean RecipesSpain Recipes



This classic one-pot dish is a mainstay of many Spanish families even to this day. The dish is traditionally served large soup bowls.

Ingredients


250g dried chickpeas
2 tsp salt
750g beef brisket, rolled
500g piece of belly pork, skin and bones removed
500g piece of smoked back bacon
2 whole chicken legs
2 fresh bayleaves
2 small onions, peeled
6 small carrots
1 bunch of baby turnips
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, tied together in a bundle
2 sweet chorizo sausages (corizo dulce)
2 fresh pork sausages (eg morcilla, salchicha or Italian sausage)
500g new potatoes
1 small Savoy cabbage
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, bruised in a mortar
100g fine vermicelli noodles
pickled mild green chillies, to serve

Method:

Wash and pick over the chickpeas. Place in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and set aside to soak over night.

Place the beef, belly pork, chicken legs and bayleaves in a large stockpot. Pour in enough cover water to cover the ingredients by 3cm then slowly bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken legs, allow to cool then cover and set aside in the refrigerator.

Continue cooking the other meats for a further 30 minutes, then transfer to a bowl along with the cooking broth, allow to cool and chill in the refrigerator.

The following day, skim any fat from the surface of the meats.

Drain the soaked chickpeas, place in a bowl and pour over enough water to cover by a 2cm depth. Bring to a brisk boil and when the froth rises add 250ml cold water. Skim the surface clean. Repeat the process of adding cold water and skimming the surface once more.

Simmer the chickpeas for 15 minutes then drain through a colander lined with muslin. Sit one of the onions on top then tie the muslin cloth into a bag.

Place this bag in a large stockpot, then add the beef, pork and bacon, along with their cooking liquor and add the remaining onion, carrots, turnips, parsley and stock. Slowly bring the mixture to a gentle simmer then continue simmering for 30 minutes more.

In the meantime, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add 2 tsp salt, cut the cabbage into 3cm slices and add to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes then drain.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and fry until just golden then remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the cabbage to the oil remaining in the pan and fry for 2 minutes more.

Remove 1.2l of the stock from the meats and pour into a saucepan. Add the vermicelli, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes then pour into a warmed tureen.

Cut the meat and chicken into serving-sized pieces then place on a serving dish. Add the turnips and carrots. Place the chickpeas on a second plate and add the cabbage.

Place all the dishes in the centre of the table and allow your guests or family to help themselves.