Puchero

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Puchero

Puchero from Andalusia, Spain
Origin
Place of origin	Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay
Details
Course	Main course
Main ingredient(s)	Varies by region

Puchero is a type of stew prepared in Argentina,^[1] Colombia, Uruguay, the Philippines, and Spain, specifically the autonomous communities of Andalusia and the Canary Islands. The name comes from the Spanish word "puchero" which means "stewpot".

The dish is essentially equivalent to the cocido of Spain, using local ingredients which vary from one region to another. In Spain chickpeas are widely used.

Andalusian puchero

In Andalusia, puchero was originally peasant food. Its primary ingredients include: chickpeas; rice or noodles; beef, veal, and/or chicken; bacon; pork ribs; salt; bone of jamón serrano; potatoes; and various vegetables such as cabbage, celery, squash, chard, carrots, and turnips. The dish was traditionally eaten over the course of several days. On the first day, the stew is usually eaten with rice, while on the second day it is traditionally accompanied by noodles.

After the puchero has been served, the leftover are used in a variety of subsequent dishes. Left-over broth, called caldo —or caldito— de puchero, is eaten with some leaves of fresh spearmint as consommé. The meat left-overs, called pringá, is usually served separately as a main dish. Meat remnants are either cooked into croquettes or prepared as ropa vieja, depending on the locality.

Río de la Plata puchero

Puchero is eaten in the parts of Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay that border the Río de la Plata. The dish is prepared quite similarly as in Spain, though its ingredients are significantly different due to the vastly different local produce. In the parts of Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay surrounding the estuary of the Río de la Plata, puchero is primarily beef-based, as beef was plentiful and cheap, and chickpeas are less common there than in the Iberian peninsula.

The cuts of meat used are particularly important: if possible, ossobuco; otherwise beef cuts with marrow or poultry (used in puchero de gallina) can be substituted. Other ingredients used may include potatoes, onions, and squash. Some local variations call for the addition of sweet potatoes,^[1] sweet corn, carrots, bacon, sliced chorizo, pork belly, cabbage, and eggs.

Puchero is considered a lower- and middle class staple, and is traditionally served during the fall and winter. It can be found on menus in family and regional restaurants throughout Argentina, but not at most more expensive restaurants.^[1]

See also

• Andalusian cuisine
• Argentine cuisine
• Canarian cuisine
• Colombian cuisine
• Philippine cuisine
• Uruguayan cuisine

References