Tasty Puchero Andaluz Stew !!

Puchero is a meat and chickpea stew from the Andalusia region of Spain. Pork, sausages and often chicken are slow-simmered with hearty vegetables and garbanzo beans.

Puchero was originally a wintertime peasant dish eaten over several days, first with rice, then with noodles, then with the remainder incorporated into other dishes.

When it comes to healthy Spanish comfort food, puchero is about as good as it gets. Puchero is a type of Spanish stew that varies from region to region and, of course, from house to house.

It is basically a type of “cocido,” which is a stew made from various meats, bones, and vegetables which may also include legumes and potatoes. Where in some regions the focus is on garbanzos and sausages, here in the Valencian community more focus is placed on the variety of meats and vegetables.

A basic puchero consists of broth obtained from a variety of meats and vegetables which is usually served first either alone or with rice or fine pasta noodles as a soup. The broth is followed by a large platter with all of the meat and vegetables which is placed in the center of the table and from which everybody can serve themselves.

It is meant to be a simple yet complete meal that brings the entire family together.

We chose to leave out the chickpeas that are traditionally in this puchero recipe. If you like, add two cups of chickpeas towards the end of cooking.

Tasty Puchero Andaluz Stew !!

this Valencian puchero recipe will show you how to make a simple yet hearty Spanish stew that is sure to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.

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Ingrédients

  

• 2 lb bone-in beef shank
• 2 lb pork shoulder
• 1 turkey drumstick or  3 chicken drumsticks
• 1 head garlic
• 1 onion minced
• 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 12 black peppercorns, ground
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 pinch saffron or ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 3 Tbsp dried mint
• ½ teaspoon Salt to taste
• 1 chayote
• 2 large carrots
• ½ squash
• ¼ green cabbage
• 3 ears corn
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1-2 green plantains

Garnishes :

• 1 cup radishes, sliced
• 4 limes, quartered
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1 red onion, chopped
• salsa

Instructions

 

• Rinse beef, pork and turkey in cold running water. Place them in a large pot with 20 cups of water. Bring to a boil. If you use chicken instead of turkey, add after cooking for 45 minutes.
• Grill onion and garlic in a dry pan on medium-high heat. Skim the stock when it comes to a boil. Add onion and garlic when they are well-cooked. Add spices and the stems from the cilantro and mint. Salt to taste and simmer for around 1½ hours.  
• Remove the cilantro, onion and garlic from the pot. Add raw vegetables, starting with the ones that take the longest to cook like carrots and plantains.
• Add tender vegetables 15 minutes later. Remove from heat when vegetables are cooked.
• Serve in bowls. Garnish with radish, cilantro, avocado, onion and lime quarters. Salt if needed. Serve with salsa.

Notes

Note :

Most people here use artificial yellow coloring to make their puchero an unnatural shade of yellow. In fact, they sell jars of yellow coloring powder in the spice section for that very purpose. I suppose the strange tradition started when they realized that saffron was expensive and decided to switch some or all of it out in their paellas and other rice dishes. Unfortunately they tend to go overboard with it. I did not use any artificial coloring in my pictures above, and I see no need to add in any more color; I think it’s beautiful as it is. Just having used a mix of vegetables and a healthy corral chicken in my stew was enough to turn it a natural shade of yellow on its own. I didn’t even use saffron, but if you would like to brighten up the color of your puchero, that is what I would recommend you use.