When I arrived home from our Thanksgiving trip to Sedona it was raining in Los Angeles. Anyone who lives here and is reading this knows that this is a big deal. It never rains here and so when it does it’s pretty major. For me it means I get to stay in and get all cozy with something warm to eat or drink.
It definitely felt like soup weather and I had been craving garbanzo beans and the taste of chorizo. For me this means either Cocido Madrileno or Caldo Gallego, two Spanish cuisine classics. I didn’t have all the ingredients to make either of them so I got creative and came up with this hybrid. They key is that broth. It has to be chocked full of smoky pork and chorizo flavor.
Delightful Recipe
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb or 1 package dried garbanzo beans
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 pepper corns
- 5 all spice corns
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 5 cloves of garlic, pealed and smashed
- 6 oz salt pork cut into 1/4 by 2 inch pieces
- 1 ham hock
- 1 lb of chorizo
- 1 lb of small white or red potatoes
- 1 head of napa cabbage coarsely chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Put dried garbanzo beans in a pot with bay leaf, pepper corns, all spice, thyme, smashed garlic cloves and one teaspoon of salt. Cover with at least 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce and boil for an hour or until beans are tender.
- Drain beans and remove aromatics. Pour beans into a pot and place salt pork, chorizo and ham hock on top. Cover with water and bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for an hour.
- Quarter potatoes and add to the garbanzos. Add more water to cover if needed. Cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Add cabbage and cook for 5 minutes or until cabbage is soft and wilted.
- Divide soup among bowls and eat.
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