Madrilene Stew (Cocido Madrile) Recipe

Stew made with meat and beans topped with parsley on top of a checkered napkin

Cris Cantón / Getty Images

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Stews or condos, as they are called in Spanish, are typical main dishes in Spain, particularly in the central and northern regions of Spain. This condo madrileño is named for the province of Madrid, where it originated. Stews like this one have lots of flavors and include meats, sausage, and garbanzo beans.

Be sure to allow enough time to soak the garbanzo beans overnight and to simmer the stew until the meat is soft. This dish is two courses—soup and a main dish.

Because this is one of the most traditional regional dishes of Madrid, it is eaten May 15th on the feast day of Saint Isidore ("San Isidro" is the patron saint of Madrid). Get more details in May Festivals in Spain. 

Ingredients

  • 1 ham bone

  • 1 fresh pig foot, cut in half

  • 1 pound beef stew meat

  • 1/4 pound bacon, in 1 piece, if not available, choose thickly sliced

  • 1/4 pound fresh ham meat

  • 1/2 chicken

  • 2 cups (1 pound) dry garbanzo beans

  • 1 carrot, cut into 3 pieces

  • 1 small turnip, cut in half

  • 1 small yellow onion, cut into quarters

  • 6 to 8 potatoes, peeled

  • 1 large savoy cabbage, or Swiss chard

  • 1 chorizo sausage

  • 1 1/2 cups angel hair pasta

  • 1 blood sausage, morcilla, black pudding

Steps to Make It

  1. Soak the garbanzo beans in a large pot of cold water for 12 hours. (Garbanzo beans are much harder than other types of beans, such as pintos.) Be sure that the water covers the garbanzo beans entirely so that they soften.

  2. In a large pot with 13 cups of water, put the beef, ham bone, pig's foot, bacon, and ham. Bring water to a boil and skim any fat, etc. off the top. Add the half chicken, garbanzo beans, carrot, turnip, and onion. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

  3. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut in half and add to the pot after 2 hours. Add salt to taste. Check pot often and add additional water if too much evaporates.

  4. Chop the cabbage into eighths. Remove 2 cups of broth from the stew and put into a large stockpot. Place the cabbage in the pot with 2 cups broth and 2 cups water and boil with the sausages until cabbage is soft.

  5. Take as much stock from the pot of meat as you need and mix it with an equal amount of stock from the cabbage. Bring to a boil. Break angel hair pasta pieces in quarters. Add pasta to pot and cook until al dente.

  6. This delicious cocoa madrilene is served from two dishes. Serve up the pasta with broth in soup bowls as a first course.

  7. In a deep open serving dish, arrange garbanzo beans (well drained) on one side, then on the other side place beef, cabbage, and sausages cut in half.

  8. Let everyone mix the ingredients and enjoy.

This madrilene stew recipe makes 6 servings of noodle soup, and then 6 servings of meats and garbanzo beans.

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