Potaje de Garbanzos

Potaje — thick, slow-cooked bean stews — are the soul food of Cuba's working kitchens. The chickpea version, beloved across the island, combines dried garbanzos with salt-pork, chorizo, pumpkin, and a classic sofrito of tomato, onion, pepper, and garlic. Served over white rice, a bowl of potaje is a complete, economical, and deeply comforting meal that feeds a family on very little.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 400 g (14 oz) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water
• 150 g (5 oz) salt pork (tocino) or smoked pork hock
• 100 g (3½ oz) Spanish-style chorizo, sliced into coins
• 200 g (7 oz) calabaza (West Indian pumpkin) or butternut squash, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 200 g (7 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp (3 g) ground cumin
• 1 tsp (3 g) dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
• 1.5 litres (6 cups) water
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Cooked white rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Drain soaked chickpeas and place in a large heavy pot with the salt pork and 1.5 litres water. Bring to a boil, skim foam, reduce to a steady simmer. Cook 45 minutes until chickpeas are just becoming tender.
2. Meanwhile, make the sofrito: heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and green pepper for 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano; cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, stir well, and cook 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly reduced.
3. Add the sofrito, chorizo, calabaza, and bay leaves to the chickpea pot. Stir to combine. Continue simmering uncovered for 30–40 minutes until chickpeas are very tender and the broth has thickened to a rich, stew-like consistency. The calabaza will partially dissolve, adding body and sweetness.
4. Remove salt pork, shred any meat and return it to the pot. Discard bay leaves. Season with black pepper; taste before adding salt as the salt pork provides considerable seasoning.
5. Serve ladled over white rice.

Cook's Notes: Do not add salt until the chickpeas are fully soft — it toughens the skins. The potaje should be thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon. Smoked paprika stirred in at the end adds colour and depth if Spanish chorizo is unavailable.