Puchero
A Filipino pot-au-feu with Spanish connections. Sometimes it is served as two courses, first soup, then meat and vegetables with rice, but it can happily be served as is, on rice in a wide soup bowl. Either way it is very satisfying and a siesta afterwards is recommended.
Ingredients
- 225g / 8oz / generous 1 cup chick-peas, soaked overnight in water to cover
- 1.4kg / 3lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 350g / 12oz belly of pork, rinded, or pork fillet, cubed
- 2 chorizo sausages, thickly sliced
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2.5 litres / 4 pints / 10 cups water
- 60ml / 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 15ml / 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1-2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1cm / ½in cubes
- 2 plantains, sliced (optional)
- salt and ground black pepper
- chives or chopped spring onions, to garnish
- ½ head Chinese leaves, shredded, and boiled rice, to serve
For the aubergine sauce:
- 1 large aubergine
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 60-90ml / 4-6 tbsp wine or cider vinegar
Preparation
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- Drain the chick-peas and put them in a large saucepan. Cover with water, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the chick¬peas are half tender. Drain.
- Put the chicken pieces, pork, sausage and half of the onions in a large pan. Add the chick-peas and pour in the water. Bring to the boil and lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is just tender when tested with a skewer.
- Meanwhile, make the aubergine sauce. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F/Gas 6. Prick the aubergine in several places, then place it on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until very soft.
- Cool slightly, then peel away the aubergine skin and scrape the flesh into a bowl. Mash the flesh with the crushed garlic, season to taste and add enough vinegar to sharpen the sauce, which should be quite piquant. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the remaining onion and garlic for 5 minutes, until soft but not brown. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes, then add this mixture to a large pan with the diced sweet potato. Add the plantains, if using. Cook over a gentle heat for about 20 minutes until the sweet potato is thoroughly cooked. Add the Chinese leaves for the last minute or two.
- Spoon the thick meat soup into a soup tureen, and put the vegetables in a separate serving bowl. Garnish both with whole or chopped chives or spring onions and serve with boiled rice and the aubergine sauce.
Serves 6-8.