Olla Ferroviaria de Burgos

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy Dutch oven or iron olla, 6 to 7 liters
• •Skimming spoon
• •Small frying pan for the sofrito

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the chickpeas

   The night before, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with plenty of cold water. They should have room to swell. If the kitchen is warm, put the bowl in the refrigerator. Drain them before cooking.

2. 2

   Start the pot

   Put the drained chickpeas in a heavy pot with the pork ribs, pork belly, lacón, leek, carrots, bay leaf, and 2.2 liters of hot water. Chickpeas want hot water at the start; cold water makes their skins tighten. Bring to a gentle boil, skim the grey foam, then lower the heat until the surface moves in small, steady bubbles.

   If your lacón or cured pork shoulder is very salty, soak it in cold water for 4 to 6 hours first, changing the water once.
3. 3

   Simmer patiently

   Cover the pot partly and cook for about 1 hour 45 minutes, keeping the chickpeas barely moving. Add hot water if the level drops below the chickpeas. Do not stir hard; move the pot by its handles if anything threatens to catch. The chickpeas should be nearly tender before the chorizo and potatoes go in.

4. 4

   Add chorizo and potatoes

   Add the chorizo pieces and the broken potatoes. Breaking the potatoes instead of cutting them cleanly releases a little starch, which helps thicken the broth without flour. Cook 35 to 45 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are soft all the way through.

5. 5

   Make the sofrito

   While the pot finishes, warm the olive oil in a small pan and cook the chopped onion with a pinch of salt over low heat for 18 to 22 minutes, until dark gold and jammy. Add the garlic for the last 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the pimentón, and let it bloom in the oil for a few seconds. Keep pimentón off fierce heat or it turns bitter.

6. 6

   Finish the olla

   Stir the sofrito gently into the pot. Add the morcilla whole and cook 12 to 15 minutes more, just long enough to warm it through without bursting. Taste the broth before adding salt; the cured pork and chorizo may have done most of the work.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Lift out the pork belly, lacón, chorizo, and morcilla, slice them thickly, and return them to the pot or serve them on top of each bowl. Let the olla rest off the heat for 10 minutes so the broth settles and thickens. Serve deep bowls with chickpeas, potato, pork, and a little of each sausage. Tal como se hace allí, plain and complete.

Chef Tips

• •Use good dried chickpeas, not a dusty old bag from the back of a shelf. Old chickpeas stay firm no matter how politely you cook them. Buy from a shop with turnover and soak them fully.
• •The old railway pot had a charcoal chamber, which gave a steady heat more than a smoky flavour. At home, a heavy Dutch oven is the honest substitute. Keep the heat low and even, and don't let the pot gallop.
• •Burgos morcilla often carries rice and a gentle spice. If you cannot find it, use morcilla de cebolla and expect a softer, darker slice. If you cannot find any proper Spanish morcilla, leave it out and add a little more chorizo; the dish changes, but it stays edible.
• •Break the potatoes with the knife instead of slicing them cleanly. Spanish cooks call it chascar, to crack them. The rough edges give the broth body.
• •This is better after a rest. Make it in the morning for lunch, or the day before and reheat it gently with a splash of water.

Advance Preparation

• •Soak the chickpeas 12 hours ahead in plenty of cold water.
• •If using salty lacón, soak it 4 to 6 hours ahead and change the water once.
• •The stew can be made 1 day ahead. Chill it covered, lift off any hardened excess fat if you like, and reheat gently with a little water until the broth loosens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 700g)