Probably every culture has some version of the following: a big pot over a source of heat where meat and vegetables brew together. In Spain we called it cocido, literaly, cooked, and it is a very traditional Christmas Day dish. The 25th of December, el cocido is cooked the old way, in an enamel pot (olla de porcelana) and for many hours, instead of with the pressure cooker (olla exprés) of every day. The ingredients vary from region to region, and from town to town. In order to write a reliable recipe, I went to the most beloved source, my mother. Via Skype, she dictated to me my favorite recipe of all times – although when I was a teenager I wasn´t as fond of el cocido de Navidad. I can hear my sisters and I complaining “¡¿cocido?!” with our sleepy eyes and our Sunday outfits. This December morning from the airport on my way home I´ll dream of my mom´s cocido. With age, I have grown a little wiser.
INGREDIENTS:
MEATS:
Hueso de ternera = beef bones (knee)
Garreta de ternera = beef, inferior leg
Muslo de pavo = turkey thigh
Pollo = chicken breast, thigh etc.
Morcilla = blood sausage
“Pelota” = meatball
FOR THE MEATBALL:
Ternera = beef
Cerdo = pork
Huevo batido = beaten egg
Perejil = parsley
Especias = spices
VEGETABLES:
Garbanzos (en una malla) a remojo = chickpeas (in a cooking bag) on water from the night before
Zanahoria = carrots
Puerro = leek
Nabo = turnip
Patata = potato
Pencas de cardo = cardoon stalks
PREPARATION
All the ingredients go into the pressure cooker and are cooked for about 45 minutes. La morcilla has to go later, otherwise it will disintegrate. Add sal (salt).
SERVING
First we serve a soup made with el caldo (the broth) and with very thin fideos (noodles), and second, we have the meat and the vegetables together. Each person has its preferences, my mom still remembers mine (only chicken). ¡Feliz Cocido de Navidad!
Photo Credit: JOSE-MARIA MORENO GARCIA = FOTOGRAFO HUMANISTA via Compfight ccPhoto Credit: JOSE-MARIA MORENO GARCIA = FOTOGRAFO HUMANISTA via Compfightcc
