Cocido is considered to be one of the more traditional dishes from Spain. Every Spanish household has a unique take on this national boiled dish, and naturally, each take also has its own array of flavors.
As history shows, the Spanish have explored, conquered, ruled, and lost various lands over the centuries. It’s no wonder that their food influences can still be seen in different countries, even today.
Growing up, our family’s cook, Esther Albano, has mastered the art of my grandmother’s recipes, and continues to create these nostalgic dishes for us when we visit (she’s been cooking for our family for 54 years… and still going!). I have been very lucky to have experienced all the delicious foods that have come out of her kitchen, and even more so that now that she is sharing all these recipes with the next generation, so that we can recreate them from over 7000 miles away.
This particular dish, cocido, has been a favorite with my own family for years. The flavors, ingredients, and techniques have been passed down through my grandmother’s very Spanish family. Of course, living in the Philippines, we have managed to incorporate our own unique flavors and ingredients to cocido.
Cocido with Eggplant-Saba Salad
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped
1 medium piece of ginger (roughly 2-3 Tbsp), minced
1 cup tomato sauce (you can use canned or make it fresh)
2 lbs bone in beef chuck, chop into 2†pieces
½ lbs Spanish chorizo (optional, but highly recommended)*
2 medium russet potatoes, cleaned and quartered
4 pieces of saba** (plantain), boiled and chopped into large pieces (approx 1 ½ – 2 inches)
½ cabbage, quartered
water
2 Japanese eggplants, broiled until soft
1-2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
Salt and black pepper – to taste.
1.   Place a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil. Add half the onion and ginger. Cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.
2.   Add beef pieces and brown. About 4-6 minutes. Add a about 2 tbsp of salt.
3.   Add enough water to cover the meat. Cover the pot and let it cook until the meat is soft, about 20-30 minutes. Check the pot occasionally. Make sure to add a little water if the meat is not quite soft yet and the pot looks like it’s getting toasty.
4.   Brush the eggplant with a little vegetable oil. Broil the eggplant for about 6-8 minutes or until the center is soft.
5.   In a separate pan, add a little vegetable oil and sauté the other half of the onion and crushed garlic until caramelized. Add a about 2 tsp of salt and some freshly ground black pepper (about 1 tsp)
6.   Add chorizo and sauté until slightly brown.
7.   Add tomato sauce to the onion and garlic mixture.
8.   Take the chorizo, tomato sauce, onion and garlic mixture, and mix it with the beef.
9.   Add the potatoes and saba, then and add just enough water to slightly cover the mixture. Let it boil until both the potatoes and saba are soft.
10.   Remove the saba from the pot and place it in a clean bowl.
11.   Add the cabbage to the cocido, pushing the greens down into the broth with a spoon. Turn the heat off and cover. The residual heat will steam the cabbage completely.
12.   Taste your broth, add salt if needed.
13.   Mash the saba and the eggplant together until they make a paste. Add minced garlic, vinegar, salt, and black pepper to taste. (this should be salty, sweet, and slightly spicy.)
14.   Serve with hot rice or crusty bread.
*may be purchased at specialty food stores or online – but if you like seeing your shopping up close and personal, Black Sheep Bistro has a market inside their restaurant with all kinds of items from Spain, France and Italy, for sale.
**You want to pick saba that are mostly yellow with just a little green. I usually purchase these at the local Asian market.
