This is what you might call a strenuous adaptation of the Lalin Cocido from Galicia that John Barlow describes in Everything but the Squeal. I was going with all-local, humanely raised meat, so no snout, trotters, or ears for me, but I got some very good cuts of pork from Cherry Grove and some fine fresh chorizo from Fair Foods. The dish is, I think, as much attitude as cooking: quantity counts, and the main idea is to eat a LOT. We did our best. . . .
Here's what it was (with recommended changes noted):
serves 8 generously
Ingredients:
Pork
4 lb. pork shoulder, chopped into chunks
1 lb. ham, chunked
2 very large ham hocks, cut up or cut up after cooked
1 lb. pork neck bones
1 lb. smoked bacon, cut to 4 in. pieces
15 med. potatoes, washed and whole
dry rub:
3/4 c. rough crushed black pepper (would reduce to 1/3 c.)
1/4 c. + 1 T cumin
1/4 c. + 1 T salt
1/4 c. + 1 T smoked paprika, med (would double this)
Chicken
4 lb. whole chicken, hacked up
4 cups dried chick peas
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. white flour
4 white onions, chopped
1 1/2 c. dry white wine
1/4 t Cayenne pepper
Sausage
2 lb. fresh chorizo sausage, cut in large chunks (3-4 in.)
1 lb. fresh Andouille sausage, cut in large chunks (3-4 in.)
4 bunches (approx. 12 cups loose) turnip or other greens, washed and ripped
2 red onions, sliced thin
1/4 T vegetable oil
1 t sherry vinegar
This was, as recommended in Barlow's book, cooked as three dishes, though some cocidos combine it all.
- Soak chick peas overnight. Next day, cook for an hour or until soft, then drain.
- Make the dry rub and cut up the pork. Mix together, coat all pieces in the rub, and store overnight.
- In batches, brown all of the pork over high heat, then combine all of it in a very large pot.
- Add 6+ cups boiling water. Bring to boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover and let braise. Check water level after a half hour. Water will come out of the meat and add to the broth. Add more water if needed. Should be brothy. Simmer for 1 1/2 hrs.
- Start the chicken by making a roux in a large heavy pot: head the oil, then slowly add the flour, scraping constantly over med. heat until it turns a med. brown and has a nice nutty smell.
- Add the chopped white onions, combine and saute on med. heat for around five minutes or until all onions are soft. It will get a little stiff at first, then loosen up. Add the cayenne pepper and some salt (maybe 1 t).
- Make a well in the middle of the onions, turn up the heat to high, and add the chicken, browning and then removing, a few pieces at a time.
- With all the chicken out, add the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Return all chicken pieces to the pot and add boiling water, about a cup at a time, until you've added about 4-6 cups. It shoudl make a thick broth full of onions.
- Set to simmer and leave it be, stirring every 20 min. or so. Simmer for 1 hour, and then test for donness by cutting a thick piece in half.
- Heat oil to high temperature in a deep heavy pot. Add sausage pieces, and cook until just cooked through. Test by cutting.
- Add the red onions, and just heat through--about a minute. You don't want them to remain a little crunchy. Remove sausage and onions from the pot.
- Add the greens to the high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover and let wilt--about 3 min.
- Add 1-2 c. water, deglaze the pot, and cover. Steam for 4-5 min. Then remove from heat and drain.
- After pork has braised for an hour and a half, add the whole potatoes for the last half hour or until they are soft through. When done, remove the pieces of meat and potatoes with tongs onto a platter. Dowse with the broth and serve with a pitcher of broth on the side.
- After the chicken has simmered for an hour, remove the pieces, then add in the cooked, drained chick peas. Re-heat the chicken before serving on top of a bed of the chick peas in sause.
- Salt the greens, serve onto a platter, drizzle with 1 t sherry vinigar, then top with heated sausage and onions. (You will have more sausage than you need for the platter.)
Enjoy!
