Cocido madrileño

Cook it at home: Cocido madrileño

Soak the chickpeas overnight. Everything simmers gently together; the chorizo and cabbage cook separately so the broth stays clean. Serve in three vuelcos (turns).

Pans and tools

• Very large stockpot (at least 10 quarts)
• Mesh bag or cheesecloth for the chickpeas
• Two extra saucepans
• Skimmer

You’ll need

• 1 lb (450 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water with 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) beef shank or brisket in one piece
• 1/2 free-range chicken (or 4 thighs)
• 8 oz (225 g) slab pancetta or salt pork (tocino) in one piece
• 1 ham bone or 4 oz (115 g) serrano ham end
• 2 beef marrow bones
• 2 Spanish chorizos (about 8 oz / 225 g total) and 1 morcilla (blood sausage), optional
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled
• 3 carrots, peeled
• 1 small Savoy cabbage, cut into wedges
• 3 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp sweet pimentón
• 4 oz (115 g) thin fideo noodles (or angel hair broken into short pieces)
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• To serve: tomato sauce, pickled guindilla peppers, crusty bread

Steps

1. Put the beef, chicken, pancetta, ham bone and marrow bones in a very large pot with 5 quarts (4.7 l) cold water. Bring slowly to a boil, skimming off the foam for 10 minutes until the broth is clean.
2. Drain the chickpeas, put them in a mesh bag or tie them in cheesecloth (so they're easy to lift out), and add to the boiling pot. The water must be boiling when they go in or they toughen.
3. Lower to a gentle simmer, partly cover, and cook 2 1/2 hours. Top up with boiling water if the level drops below the chickpeas, never cold.
4. Add the carrots, potatoes and salt and simmer 30 to 40 minutes more, until the chickpeas are creamy and the potatoes tender.
5. Meanwhile, simmer the chorizo and morcilla in a separate pan of water for 20 minutes (they stain the broth if cooked in the pot). In another pot, boil the cabbage in salted water 12 minutes, drain, then sauté with the garlic, olive oil and pimentón for 3 minutes.
6. Strain off about 8 cups (2 l) of broth into a saucepan, bring to a boil, add the noodles and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Taste for salt.
7. First vuelco: serve the soup with noodles.
8. Second vuelco: lift out the chickpeas, potatoes, carrots and cabbage onto a platter, with a drizzle of olive oil, tomato sauce and pickled peppers alongside.
9. Third vuelco: carve the beef, chicken, pancetta, chorizo and morcilla onto another platter, with the marrow bones for spreading on bread.

Contains: Wheat.