Olla podrida – Spanish stew

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g peas, yellow
• Water for soaking
• 2 liters of water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 250 g beef
• ½ soup chicken
• 250 g mutton
• 250 g ham, raw
• 3 m.-sized paprika sausage (chorizo), sliced
• some salt and pepper
• some caraway
• some chervil
• ¼ head of white cabbage
• 1 celeriac
• 250 g carrot(s)
• 250 g beans, green
• 1 head of lettuce, quartered

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 3 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours 45 minutes

Soak the peas in water overnight. The next day, cook them in 2 liters of fresh water for about 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a very large pot and sauté the chopped onions and crushed garlic. Add the diced meat and ham and sauté them vigorously. Add the sausage slices and peas with the cooking water, season, and cook over moderate heat for 90–120 minutes. Chop the remaining vegetables and add them, finally adding the quartered lettuce. Cook everything over medium heat for 10–20 minutes (depending on the desired firmness). Serve with tomato sauce, if desired. Olla Porida, also known as puchero or cocido, always consists of several types of meat and vegetables. There are no other rules, however. The stew can be modest or substantial, fatty or lean, sweet or hearty—it all depends on your taste and the ingredients available.