Recently declared a Property of Cultural Interest, a title it more than deserves, this is the capital’s signature stew.
Characterised by its twists and turns, it has countless loyal fans, although there is some debate about how to eat it: together or separately? To each their own… stews, like those served at Ponzano and La Taberna de Elia.
For home cooks, there’s nothing like getting hold of Solobuey’s recipe and some good Vienna La Baguette wheat bread to accompany it; and to drink, Salgüero Blanco de Pradorey.
La Taberna de Elia. Enjoy Thursdays and melt away with their grilled marrow
Vía de las Dos Castillas, 22. Tel. 91.
La Taberna de Elia is the capital’s meat-eater’s paradise par excellence, but the truth is that everything Cata Lupu prepares – vegetables, fish, seafood and spoon dishes – is worth repeating. Its Madrid-style stew is no exception, because it is made with great care, steeped in tradition and using top-quality ingredients. It is served together, but not mixed, and the soup tureen arrives at the table; a dish of perfectly cooked chickpeas, vegetables – carrots, potatoes and turnips – and sautéed cabbage with garlic and paprika; and another with the meats: free-range chicken with a hint of charcoal, morcillo, ham, fresh acorn-fed Iberian bacon, fresh bacon, smoked black pudding and fresh chorizo – both from Asturias – and an exclusive salted acorn-fed Iberian pork jowl that is a real gem. And separate from these, because it deserves a special mention, is the marrow, which is grilled and is another of the distinguishing features of this stew. The accompaniments, which add their own touch and are essential for many, are addictive piparras (sweet and sour peppers) and tomato sauce with cumin. The price of this very complete stew, served on Thursdays, is €45. Keep an eye out for the stew croquettes they make… a spectacular €2.50 each! The perfect bite to start with.
Ponzano. A staple on the Wednesday menu, three courses and pringá mollete to start
Ponzano, 12. Madrid. Tel. 91 448 68 80.
Although 27 February is International Cocido Day, at Ponzano they celebrate it every Wednesday with their daily menu. At Paco García’s restaurant, they start preparing it at 8 a.m. the day before, cooking the shank and knee bones, ham ends, chicken carcasses and chickpeas for five hours to release all their juices. After resting overnight, they cook all the meat for another three hours: chicken, soft and Iberian bacon, pork spine, tail, snout, morcillo (a type of sausage) and Asturian chorizo. Black pudding is a must, but this is added at the end of the process. The vegetables are cooked separately for about another hour, and then the juice from the cabbage, carrots and potatoes is added to the meat broth in a traditional casserole dish for about two hours to give all the flavour to the chickpeas soaked the day before in hot water and salt. In this corner of Chamberí, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, the stew is served in three courses: the delicious soup, which is served with olives and piparras (small green peppers); the chickpeas with vegetables (potatoes, carrots, leeks and turnips) and tomato sauce with cumin and extra virgin olive oil; and finally, the array of meats and cold cuts. To top off the experience, it includes an irresistible warm muffin with pringá to whet your appetite. A very complete offering which, together with a drink, dessert or coffee, has a tempting price of €18. Given its success, reservations are essential on Wednesdays, and it can also be ordered for groups of 10 or more people any day of the week and is available on weekends in winter. Off the menu, it costs £28 and also includes a refreshing escarole salad with pomegranate and orange, and you can have seconds of everything!4
Put on your apron and make it at home
Solobuey. Complete classic dish for four
Mercamadrid. Central Meat Market, module 13. Madrid. Tel. 91 507 12 32.
For home cooks who gather the family at home with the call of ‘this Sunday there’s stew’, in the online shop of the century-old firm Solobuey, with just one click you can get the “basic” meat set, ingredients of the highest quality that will give the broth all its substance. The pack is ideal for four people and, for €9, includes: 1/2 kilo of beef shank, two ham bones and two shank bones, two fresh chorizos, two onion black puddings, a chicken hindquarter and 150 g of tasty bacon. Was there an extra ingredient in Grandma’s recipe? You’re sure to find it in their online shop, and if it’s not there, you can order any number of cuts by telephone or email.
* Orders are placed through their website, where all delivery times are specified. In Madrid city, they arrive, as far as possible, within 24 hours; and in the rest of the peninsula within 48 hours from the time the order is received. Shipping is free throughout the peninsula for purchases over €60.
The “guests”
Viena La Baguette. Bread with soul and plenty of crumb for dipping or filling
Tel. 91 560 09 22 / 91 560 00 14. @panesconalma
To enjoy a good cocido, you have to make little boats in the soup, mop up every last drop, and accompany every last piece of meat, so to be the coolest celebrating your day, you need the best bread. This century-old Madrid bakery produces artisan breads, sourdough breads, “living” breads that conquer homes and great chefs on the national scene, because they smell and taste like tradition… Paco Fernández – the fourth generation at the helm of the company alongside his children Fran and Maca – says that the best bread to accompany Madrid-style stew is Candeal (served in loaf and ring shapes). Another idea is to get some crystal bread rolls, warm them up and fill them with pringá, as Paco García does in Ponzano.
* They deliver to homes in Madrid for orders over €15. Just call 91 560 09 22, give them your list – their entire range is on their social media – and wait for it to arrive at your home the next day. They are open from 9am to 1pm.
Pradorey. Salgüero Blanco, a different pairing
Carretera CL – 619 km 66 ,1 Gumiel de Mercado. Burgos.
Pradorey is daring, passionate, intuitive and free to shape its vision of Ribera del Duero. From its range, we are encouraged to accompany our stew with its bold Salgüero Blanco 2021, sophisticated and a little deceiving. Nothing is what it seems in this complex and indelible oenological gem. Its colour is reminiscent of a slightly oxidised rosé, its nose evokes the fragrant wines of the south and the mouthfeel is very fresh, with reductive notes. All this is expressed by the Albillo Mayor grape from Ribera del Duero when it is made with its skins (orange wine) and new and used barrels are selected for a very long mixed ageing process. It will accompany every course perfectly, and like all their other wines, it can be purchased from their online shop online https://www.pradorey.es/tienda-online/. However, there are only 432 bottles available.
Source: AIRES NEWS Comunicación