Potaje de Garbanzos Cubano

Potaje — a hearty bean stew — forms the backbone of Cuban home cooking, and the garbanzo (chickpea) version ranks among the most satisfying. Brought to Cuba by Spanish settlers, it evolved through the addition of African cooking techniques and tropical ingredients until it became distinctly Cuban: a thick, deeply flavoured pot of chickpeas braised with Spanish chorizo, smoked ham hock, and a classic sofrito that perfumes the whole kitchen. It is a meal in itself, eaten over rice or with crusty Cuban bread.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400g (2 cups) dried chickpeas (garbanzos), soaked overnight and drained
• 1 smoked ham hock (about 500g / 1 lb)
• 150g (5 oz) Spanish dry-cured chorizo, sliced into rounds
• 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 400g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• 1.5 litres (6 cups) water or chicken stock
• 2 medium waxy potatoes, cut into 2.5cm (1-inch) cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• White rice or Cuban bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Place the soaked chickpeas and ham hock in a large pot. Cover with the water or stock, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until the chickpeas are nearly tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry for 3–4 minutes until lightly crisped and the oil is orange-red. Remove chorizo and set aside, leaving the flavoured oil in the pan.
3. Add the onion and green pepper to the same skillet. Cook, stirring, for 6–7 minutes until softened and golden.
4. Add the garlic, cumin, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until the sofrito deepens in colour and the oil separates slightly.
6. Add the sofrito to the chickpea pot along with the crisped chorizo and potato cubes. Stir well.
7. Remove the ham hock. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bone and return the meat to the pot, discarding the bone and skin.
8. Continue to simmer the stew, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened to a rich consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
9. Serve in deep bowls over white rice or with Cuban bread for dipping.

Cook's Notes: Crushing some of the chickpeas against the side of the pot thickens the stew naturally. A pressure cooker reduces the initial chickpea cooking to 25 minutes. The stew freezes beautifully.