El Cocido de la Abuela (la abuela soy yo)

I went to the supermarket last night to buy food without the faintest notion of what I was going to cook. They say that you shouldn’t shop for food when you are hungry. You definitely shouldn’t go near a supermarket when you have no idea of what you want to cook.  Because of the coming holiday I felt like I was in a rugby scrum as I wandered around the crowded aisles hoping to be overcome by inspiration.  I wouldn’t call it inspiration but the only thing that grabbed my attention was a half of a hen, or gallina in Spanish. The taste of the stock I recently made with gallina was still fresh in my memory so I thought that this basic ingredient was something that I could work into a full meal. From there all I could think of to make was cocido madrileño—not one of my favorite things if I have to tell the truth.

I like the broth made from cocido and I love any sort of legumes (cocido uses garbanzos).  The traditional way to make arroz al horno is to use the stock and garbanzos from cocido. I love arroz al horno so now I had something to work with. I really don’t feel like making a rice dish so it’s time to open up the improvisation gates and invent something new (or uncover some old gem).  I may need another trip to the market depending on where I go with this dish but I know that I will make the stock from the hen and the other meat (pork bones and pancetta). I will also make garbanzos but I will probably make them separately in my pressure cooker.