andrejthechef
SpainStewDinner

Cocido Madrileño

Madrid's chickpea, meat and vegetable stew, simmered for hours and served in courses: noodle broth first, then chickpeas and vegetables, then the meats.

prep
30 min
cook
4 h
total
4 h 30 min
serves
6
level
hard
Cocido Madrileño, a classic dish from Madrid

Cocido madrileño is a full Sunday meal built from one pot: chickpeas, three kinds of meat, and vegetables, simmered for hours and then served as three separate courses instead of one bowl.

That part trips people up the most. You do not ladle everything together. The broth comes first with noodles, then the chickpeas and vegetables, then the meats sliced on their own plate. It is more of a sitting than a single dish, and it is worth doing properly the first time.

Part of our 20 best Spanish recipes list.

method

  1. Soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water with a pinch of salt for at least 12 hours. This step matters more than usual: unsoaked or poorly soaked chickpeas can stay hard no matter how long you cook them.

  2. Drain the chickpeas and tie them loosely in a square of cheesecloth, if you have it, so they stay together and are easy to lift out later.

  3. Put the beef shank, chicken, chorizo, pork belly and marrow bone in a very large pot and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam thoroughly for the first 10 minutes.

  4. Add the chickpeas, carrots and leek. Lower the heat and simmer gently, partly covered, for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the chickpeas and meats are tender. Top up with hot water if it reduces too much.

  5. Add the cabbage and potatoes for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

  6. Add the morcilla for the last 15 minutes, since it is delicate and falls apart if it cooks too long.

  7. Lift out the meats, chickpeas and vegetables and keep them warm, covered, in separate dishes. Strain the broth.

  8. Bring the strained broth back to a boil in a clean pot, add the noodles, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Serve this as the first course.

  9. Serve the chickpeas and vegetables as the second course, and the sliced meats as the third.

chef's tips

  • Cocido is traditionally eaten in three courses from one pot: broth with noodles, then the chickpeas and vegetables, then the meats. Serving it all mixed in one bowl skips the whole point.
  • This is a big pot for a reason. Cocido is usually made for a full table, and it keeps and reheats well for days.
  • Good chickpeas make or break this dish. Buy them from a shop with real turnover, since old dried chickpeas can refuse to soften.
  • Make it a day ahead if you can. The broth and the meats both improve overnight in the fridge.