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Cantabrian Meat Stew with Chickpeas (Cocido Lebaniego)

4.6(12)

The hearty pork stew known as cocido is eaten all over Spain but varies from region to region. This one comes from Liébana, the westernmost part of Cantabria, where it's traditionally served in stages—beginning with the broth and fideos (fine pasta) and followed by the meat, chickpeas, and cabbage arranged on a large platter. We prefer to eat it all together, as the broth lends a nice moistness to the other elements.

by Epicurious·published 2007-02-14

Open original recipe

Servings

Makes 8 servings

Total time

12h

Calories / serving

—

Ingredients (20)

serves

1 pound dried chickpeas (2 1/3 cups)chickpea
1 (1-pound) smoked ham hocksmoked-ham-hock
1 (1/2-pound) piece slab baconbacon
1 (1/2-pound) piece salt porksalt-pork
1 (2-inch-thick) cross-cut veal shank (ossobuco; 1/2 pound)
1 (1/4-pound) piece cured dried beef such as Italian bresaola
1 (4- to 6-ounce) pig's ear, slice of pig's snout, or piece of pig's foot (optional)
5 (4-ounce) Spanish chorizo links (cured spiced pork sausage)
1/2 tablespoon Spanish smoked sweet paprikapaprika
10 to 11 cups waterwater
1/4 pound fideos (dried coiled vermicelli noodles; needed only if serving broth as a first-course soup)
2 pounds Savoy or green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch piecescabbage
2 garlic cloves, finely choppedgarlic
1/2 tablespoon Spanish smoked sweet paprikapaprika
1/4 cup olive oilolive-oil
5 large eggsegg
1/4 teaspoon saltsalt
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsleyparsley
2 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs from a day-old country round or baguette (1/2 pound)bread
1/4 cup olive oilolive-oil

01Soak chickpeas in cold water to cover by 2 inches at least 8 hours.
02Meanwhile, rinse ham hock and slab bacon, then soak in a bowl of cold water to cover by 2 inches, chilled, at least 8 hours.
03Drain chickpeas in a colander and add to a wide 7- to 8-quart heavy pot. Drain and rinse ham hock and slab bacon, then arrange on top of chickpeas along with salt pork, veal shank, dried beef, pig's ear (if using), and chorizo. Sprinkle meats with paprika and add water (10 to 11 cups) to just cover meats by 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, skimming foam from surface as necessary, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer, tightly covered, 2 1/2 hours.
04Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.
05Boil cabbage in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water covered, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well.
06Cook garlic and paprika in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add cabbage and sauté, stirring, until cabbage is well coated and heated through, about 8 minutes. Season with salt. Transfer to an ovenproof serving dish and cover with foil, then keep warm in oven.
07Transfer salt pork and 1 chorizo link to a cutting board (for dumplings). Finely chop chorizo, then finely chop enough salt pork to measure 1/4 cup, returning remaining salt pork to pot. Continue to simmer stew until chickpeas are cooked and all meats are very tender, about 30 minutes more.
08Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, salt, and parsley in a large bowl, then add chopped meats and bread crumbs and stir until combined well.
09Using 2 soupspoons, form bread-crumb mixture into 16 to 20 oval dumplings (about 2 tablespoons each), transferring dumplings as formed to a tray lined with wax paper.
10Heat oil in cleaned 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown dumplings, in 2 batches if necessary to avoid crowding, turning, until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer dumplings as browned to paper towels to drain.
11Transfer meats from stew to cutting board with tongs, then carefully add dumplings to broth with chickpeas and simmer, covered, while cutting meats, at least 10 minutes.
12Cut sausages into large diagonal slices and cut remaining meats into serving pieces, then arrange in one side of a large baking dish along with marrowbone from veal shank. Transfer dumplings with a slotted spoon to same dish, next to meats. Transfer chickpeas with slotted spoon to dish with cabbage. Cover with foil and keep warm in oven.
13Skim fat from broth, then return to a boil and season with salt and pepper. If serving broth as a first course, crumble fideos into broth and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Otherwise, ladle broth over meats and dumplings. Serve meats and dumplings with chickpeas and cabbage.