This beef stew recipe is bright, light and perfect for spring. How to make Sonoran cocido
Cocido means nothing more than cooked, but the namesake dish — a boil of beef and seasonal vegetables — has far more richness in flavor and geographic history than the name implies.
There are many Mexican versions that vary per region, as Mexican food is apt to do. As the name implies, cocido Madrileño hails from the Spanish capital of Madrid. But the dish's history goes back further than that to Arab origins. The garbanzo was cultivated in Turkey and the bean appears in stews across the Arab world, made with or without meat, although lamb and chickpeas are a particularly great combination.
When the Arab dish made its way to Spain, cocido took a meatier turn when the garbanzos were classically paired with beef shank, veal meat and bones, pork belly, salted pork neck bones and fresh chorizo. Potatoes, carrots and cabbage were added to the pot as well, but the message was clear. Making this dish not only signaled "I eat meat," but more importantly, it also said: "I eat pork like a good Christian." It was food as a demonstration of religious faith.
The dish is far less divisive in Mexico, except perhaps in the inclusion of garbanzos or not.
The Sonoran version includes them, as the region is a garbanzo-growing one where the legume flourishes during the mild desert winter months. The dish seems to be a celebration of Sonora’s agriculture, a place to mesh together the young corn available when the garbanzos are dry and harvested, though fresh green garbanzos could make their way into a pot as well.
Add to that whatever is fresh, available and calls to you.
There couldn’t be a simpler way to cook.
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Like all beef stew, making cocido is all about the timing
The key to a successful cocido is knowing when to add each ingredient to the pot, going from hardest to softest. The below recipe is just one example of what the overall dish can be. It is meant as a starting point, which you can adapt to whatever is fresh and available.
When it comes to the vegetables, I love chayotes, which can be found in Mexican and sometimes Asian grocery stores. But they can easily be substituted for any other tender summer squash or a hard winter variety, such as acorn or kabocha, depending on the season. The seed at the center of the chayote is perfectly edible and has a pleasantly nutty taste.
When it comes to the meat, a personal favorite of mine is beef neck, as it makes for a broth rich in collagen and minerals. Beef shank provides a good ratio of meat with bone and can be used for the entirety of the meat's needs. When using bone-in cuts, it is a good practice to check the sawed-off edges for bone splinters, wiping it with a wet towel if needed to clear any away.
If you want to use a boneless beef cut, chuck left whole would be my personal preference. It takes longer to cook, but produces a more flavorful broth and juicer meat. For some it may be simply easier to buy pre-cut stew meat. That works too. There is no wrong choice, as there is no definitive cut or vegetable called for in a cocido, it's a simple celebration of whatever is on hand.
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Sonoran beef stew recipe: How to make cocido
Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients:
6 quarts water
2 pounds bone-in stewing beef (oxtail, beef neck, short ribs, etc.)
Kosher salt, as needed
1 white onion, cut in large dice
1 head garlic, peeled
2 ½ pounds boneless stewing beef
1 ½ cups (approx. 10 ounces) dry garbanzos, soaked overnight and rinsed well
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
2-3 chile verde
2 ears of corn, cut into 2-inch thick coins
1 pound carrots, cut into 2-inch thick coins
2 pounds chayotes, cut in half lengthwise, then into quarters
1 small head of green cabbage, cut into quarters, core trimmed away, leaves cut in very large dice
2 pounds sweet potatoes (see note), cut into 2-inch thick coins
Chiltepín, for serving
1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving
Limes, cut in wedges for serving
Instructions:
In a large stock pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add bone-in beef, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, onion and garlic. Turn down and cook at a simmer for half an hour, loosely covered. Skim any foam that rises to the top to ensure a clear broth.
Add boneless beef, garbanzos, bay leaves and oregano, continuing to simmer until the beef and beans are almost tender, approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours.
In the meantime, toast the chile verde over a low flame until the skin is blackened, but the chile is not cooked through. Or toast using a broiler. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel and rest until cool enough to handle. Using the towel, and starting from the stem end, gently pull the skin off towards the tip. Cut the chile open, remove the ribs and core. Cut into ½-inch wide strips.
Once the beef and garbanzos are just tender, taste the broth for seasoning. As a large amount of vegetables will be added, it may be necessary to adjust the salt. Add the corn to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, chayote and cabbage and simmer for another 5 minutes. Then add the sweet potato. When the sweet potato is tender, after approximately 10 minutes, add the toasted chile verde. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
To serve, add a crushed chiltepín or two into each bowl and top with fresh cilantro. Offer lime wedges on the side.
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Questions or comments? Email the culinary team at cooking@azcentral.com. Follow chef Minerva Orduño Rincón on Instagram @cucumbersandlimes.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The best beef stew recipe is this easy, adaptable Sonoran cocido
