COCIDO

a very satisfying meal to cook and eat on rainy days, rich in the smoky flavor of the ham and chorizo.

this is an old recipe that our kusinera makes. she only calls it "linat-an", a cebuano word for generic boiled soup.

250 grams garbanzos
1 piece or 50 grams chorizo bilbao, sliced
6 whole chicken legs or 400 grams chicken, sliced in half
100 grams prosciutto ham
250 grams pork belly, cut into large chunks
500 grams beef, cut into large chunks
1 pork pata
2-3 pieces marrow bone or beef shank
1 large potato, cut into large pieces
1 large carrot, cut into large pieces
1/2 cabbage head or 1/2 pechay
1/2 raddish, cut into large pieces
1 stalk leeks, cut up
3 stalks celery, cut up
peppercorns

Simmer beef and marrow bones for 1 hour. Remove scum. Add pork, pata and chicken and simmer for another 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Add garbanzos. Simmer for another 30 minutes or until the meat will easily flake off with a fork.

Add chorizo and ham. Add vegetables, starting with the harder vegetables, ending with the soft, leafy vegetables. Do not overcook the vegetables.

Season with salt and peppercorns.

Serve piping hot.

*Traditionally, the broth of the Cocido is served separately to thoroughly enjoy the very rich blend of the flavors of the meats, chorizo and ham as well as the vegetables. The meat is served next with the vegetables as siding. Because of the long simmering time, the soft meat takes on the smoky flavor of the broth.

But in our family, we have to eat in 30 minutes or less, with little regard for tradition. So we serve the cocido in one big bowl. It is up to the diner to decide scoop up the broth first or the meat.*