Pochero

So what do you do when you have left-over chickpeas, Spanish sausage, and plantain bananas? Make pochero, of course. Well actually, I have been planning on making pochero for quite a while  but everytime I have plantains, we end up making platanos fritos. Fried ripe plantains are just so good....  mmmmm... 

But anyway, I finally had the constraint not to fry my plantain and make pochero instead. Hubby loved it. He said it tasted like Spanish bean soup (come to think of it, it did taste like Spanish bean soup!). This is not the traditional way of making pochero, but there is really no right or wrong way when it comes to cooking. As long as you are happy with the outcome, then all is good. ;-)


What you need:

1 lb pork loins, cut into cubes
1/2 cup green beans
1/4 cup chickpeas
1 tomato, quartered
1/2 medium-sized onion, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 potato, cut into cubes
2 pieces chorizo, coined
1 plantain, cut into thick rounds
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 pcs pork bouillon (optional)


What to do: 

Soak chickpeas in  cold water for at least 6 to 8 hours. Replace water every 2 hours. 

Heat canola oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Fry the sliced plantains halfway (about a minute). Let drain on a cooling rack and keep warm. In the same pot, quickly fry the chorizo for about 30 seconds, and remove from heat. Set aside. 

Cook the pork slices until light brown (around a minute or two). Add in the drained chickpeas and potatoes. Pour in about 6 to 8 cups of water and put in the bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, then drop the heat to low and let simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until meat is tender.

Add the green beans, sausage, and plantains. Continue cooking for about 7 to 10 more minutes. Remove from heat, ladle in bowls and serve hot.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Use more plantains if you want the dish to have more "sweetness".
2. Add cabbage leaves for a heartier, healthier version.
3. Don't have pork bouillon? Skip it. Or better yet, use beef broth.
4. Soaking chickpeas overnight works best!