Cocido Madrileño

Ingredients: potatoes, chickpeas, chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage), a piece of Tocino bacon, a chunk of beef (preferably a tender section from the shoulder), one chicken drumstick, ham bone (Hueso de Jamón), white cabbage and vermicelli.

Preparation:

Soak the chickpeas overnight in water.

For the stew:

Put the ham bone, beef, bacon, chorizo, chicken drumstick and the garbanzo beans into an earthenware pot. Add water until the ingredients are covered, and simmer on a low heat for six hours. Leave the pot open and occasionally ladle in water, because fluid quickly evaporates from an earthenware pot. Add the potatoes one hour before serving.

The side dishes:

The side dishes can be prepared while the stew is simmering. Cut the white cabbage in small strips and wash well. Then boil in a pot for about 30 minutes. Add olive oil and garlic and swirl until the cabbage is soft enough to eat.

Put the vermicelli in a pot with a little water and add a whole chorizo, which will give the vermicelli a reddish color. Boil for four minutes until the noodles have absorbed all the water in the pot.

The special sequence when eating:

When everything is ready, first the vermicelli are placed on a plate. Then the reddish soup of the stew is poured over it. After this appetizer has been eaten comes the main course. The meat, potatoes, and garbanzos (chickpeas) are dished out from the pot onto a plate; add some cabbage. For additional spiciness, a hot pepper, red onions, and mild tomato sauce are provided.

Buen provecho!