Pochero Recipe

Hearty Meat Stew with Chickpeas and Plantains

Pochero

Lynn Sunico of Manila’s Skyline Restaurant has provided her immensely popular and delicious recipe for a version of the Spanish cocido, a favorite Sunday meal in the Philippines. This recipe includes chickpeas and plantains or saging na saba.

• 10 oz (300 g) pork belly or shoulder, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 10 oz (300 g) chicken, cut into bitesized pieces
• 10 oz (300 g) boneless beef shank, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Two 3-in (8-cm) pieces of Chorizo de Bilbao or pepperoni sausage
• 4 cups (1 liter) water or beef stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cups (500 g) diced tomatoes or one 16-oz (450 g) can peeled tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 small green cabbage, quartered (optional)
• 8 oz (250 g) green beans
• 2 small plantains, quartered (optional)
• 3 small potatoes (about 10 oz/300 g), peeled, halved and deep-fried
• 1 cup (7 oz/200 g) cooked chickpeas, drained if using canned chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 portion Eggplant Sauce

1 Prepare the Eggplant Sauce

2 Place the meat and sausages in a large pot with the water, salt and spring onion, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, over medium to low heat until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the meat and sausages, and set aside. Reserve the stock.

3 Heat the oil in a pot and stir-fry the garlic until golden brown, then stir-fry the onion until translucent. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

4 Add the reserved stock and bring to a boil. Add the cabbage, green beans and plantains, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the meat and sausages, potatoes and chickpeas. 

5 Season with the salt and pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. Serve with a bowl of the Eggplant Sauce on the side.

Serves 6–8

Preparation time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 55 mins