A bit of a pig's ear

Missed it! In the land where every type of food is commemorated in local fiestas, I am ashamed to admit that I sadly missed the annual celebration of our Galician national dish..... Cocido Gallega.

Cocido is a type of local stew or casserole made by cooking various types of meat and vegetables in stock - in many ways similar to the French 'Pot au Feu' (except using different meats). Usually a traditional Galician cocido would be made from a selection of salt pork cuts, including the head, ears or tail, together with pieces of cock or chicken. Chorizo and pork belly or bacon, are also added. The selection of vegetables includes potato (a food staple of the Galician diet), grelos, which are actually the leaves of turnips (although cabbage can be used as an alternative to this), and finally garbanzos, or chickpeas to you and me.

Cocido is served in nearly every local Galician restaurant, but not necessarily every day of the week - on the days that it is however, you can guarantee that the place will be packed. To be very honest I believe that there are some people who would eat it every day of the week, given the opportunity!

By complete co-incidence we will be preparing a cocido next week to serve to some Spanish guests here in the Bodega. Whilst we have a large 'salon' with dining tables, which can also serve as a meeting room, we do not actually have a kitchen, so the cocido will be prepared outside, and then 'shipped in' using one very large cooking pot. The stock, or broth that the cocido is cooked in is often served as a starter, perhaps with a few chickpeas thrown in - the pork, chicken and veg will then make up the main dish.

Cocido Gallega - yum, yum! (well, actually, not for me)