Cocido Madrileño

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 lb (450g) beef shank or short rib
• 1/2 lb (225g) chicken thighs, bone-in
• 1/4 lb (115g) pork belly or bacon, in one piece
• 1 ham bone or beef marrow bone
• 2 chorizo sausages for cooking
• 1 morcilla (blood sausage)
• 1 onion, peeled and left whole
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 1 small green cabbage, cut into wedges
• 3 potatoes, peeled and halved
• 4 oz (115g) fine soup noodles (fideos)
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil for the cabbage

Before you cook

• Soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water overnight.
• Trim excess fat from the beef and chicken.
• Peel the carrots and potatoes.

Steps

1. Drain the chickpeas and tie them loosely in a cheesecloth bag.
2. Place the chickpea bag, beef, chicken, pork belly and bone into a large pot.
3. Cover everything with about 4 quarts of cold water.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam for 5 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the whole onion and carrots.
6. Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours.
7. Add the potatoes to the pot and simmer for 30 more minutes.
8. Boil the cabbage wedges in a separate pot of salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and toss with a little olive oil.
9. Simmer the chorizo and morcilla in a separate small pot with a cup of broth ladled from the main pot for 15 minutes.
10. Remove the chickpea bag, meats and vegetables from the main pot once tender, and keep them warm, reserving the broth.
11. Strain 1 quart of the hot broth into a separate pot and bring it to a boil.
12. Add the soup noodles and cook for 4 minutes until tender.
13. Serve the noodle broth first as the opening course.
14. Plate the chickpeas with the carrots, potatoes and cabbage as the second course.
15. Slice the beef, chicken, pork belly, chorizo and morcilla and serve as the third course.