“It always takes me back to childhood – the pot bubbling, flavors filling the kitchen, and everyone gathering to enjoy a bowl together.”
by Esther Rovira, who’s part of the Business Development team in Barcelona, Spain
Catalonia’s classic stew – rich and made for sharing.
Escudella Barrejada is the kind of recipe that gathers everyone around the table. This beloved Catalan stew begins with a slow-simmered broth of beef, pork rib, and ham bone, enriched with carrots, leek, onion, and celery. As the flavors in the broth intensify, chickpeas, potatoes, and cabbage join the mix, creating a nourishing feast. For an even heartier version, Esther Rovira suggests adding rice or noodles toward the end, to soak up all the flavors. The final touch defines the dish: Once everything is ready, the meat is cut into pieces and arranged on a separate plate, while the steaming broth is best enjoyed in deep bowls.
Main Course
Meat
Preparation time: 120 min
Ingredients:
- 1kg beef (such as chuck or any suitable stewing cut)
- 300g pork ribs
- 1 ham bone
- 2 carrots
- 1 leek
- 1 onion
- 2 stalks of celery
- 2l water
- Salt to taste
For the “escudella”:
- 200g potatoes
- 200g cabbage (can be curly or white cabbage)
- 200g rice or noodles (optional, according to preference)
- 1 bay leaf
- Pepper to taste
Preparation:
Prepare the broth: In a large pot, add the beef, pork ribs, ham bone, and water. Bring to a boil and skim off any impurities with a ladle. Add the carrots, leek, onion, celery, bay leaf, and salt. Cook on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Cook the chickpeas: In the same pot, add the soaked chickpeas and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Peel and chop the potatoes and cabbage. Add them to the pot and cook everything together for another 20 - 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Add rice or noodles (optional): If you choose to add rice or noodles, incorporate them into the pot during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Serve: Once cooked, remove the meat and cut it into pieces. Serve the hot broth in a deep plate, with the chickpeas and vegetables, and place the meat on a separate plate.
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