Bowl of Puerto Rican Chickpea & Pig Foot Soup
(click to enlarge)

Chickpea & Pig Foot Soup


Puerto Rico   -   Sopón de Garbanzos con Patas de Cerdo

Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
14 cups
***
15 hrs
Yes
This is a substantial main dish soup, with diverse ingredients. The recipe takes quite a bit of time, but not a lot of work. It makes a whole lot of soup, which is even better reheated. See also Comments.




1
1-1/2
9
2.7
3/4
1
1
1
------
4
1
6
1
12
2
------
ar
8
1
1

c
#
c
oz
oz
oz
#
#
---
oz
cl
oz
oz
oz

---
T
oz
T
t

Chickpeas
Pig Feet (1)
Water
Chorizo (2)
Salt Pork
Smoked Ham
Kabocha Squash (3)  
Potatoes (4)
-- Vegie mix
Onion
Garlic
Bell Pepper, grn
Sweet Chili (5)
Cabbage Leaves
Culantro Leafs (6)
------------
Water
Tomato Sauce (7)
Salt
Pepper

Do Ahead - (8 hrs - 5 min work)
  1. Place CHICKPEAS in a large jar with 3 cups Water and 1/2 T Salt. Let soak at least 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Drain and rinse Chickpeas.
  3. If not already done, have the butcher saw the PIG FEET in half lengthwise and twice across (6 pieces).
Prep: - (3-3/4 hrs - 20 min work)
  1. Rinse Pig Feet and place in a 5 quart pot. Add 9 cups Water and bring to a boil. Simmer until the bones can be pulled from the flesh easily, about 3-1/4 hours.
  2. Pull Pig Feet from the Broth and let cool. Remove all bones and discard them.
  3. Chop Pig Flesh (including skins) coarse, or however you like.
  4. Strain Broth through a wire strainer. Defat it using your gravy separator (or by skimming, there should be little).
  5. Clean the pot and return the Broth to it. Add Water as needed so there are at least 6 cups.
Meanwhile: - (50 min - all work)
  1. Split CHORIZO in half lengthwise and crosswise into 3/8 inch pieces. Dice SALT PORK and HAM. Mix all.
  2. Peel KABOCHA and cut into about 3/4 inch cubes.
  3. Peel POTATOES and cut into about 3/4 inch cubes. Hold in cold water until needed.
  4. Coarsely Chop all VEGIE MIX Items. Mix all.
Run: - (1-3/4 hr)
  1. Drain Chickpeas and rinse well. Add to the pot.
  2. Add Vegie mix, Chorizo mix and Kabocha to the pot.
  3. Bring pot to a boil and simmer until Chickpeas are nearly tender, (about 40 minutes)
  4. Drain Potatoes and add to the pot along with Tomato Sauce Bring back to a boil and simmer until Potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
  5. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. Caution: if you started with Salted Pig Feet, you will need less salt than the amount given here.
  6. Serve hot
NOTES:
  1. Pig Feet:

      These are easily available in ethnic markets, except those serving a Jewish or Muslim community. If they are whole, you can have the meat man cut them for you. For details see out Pig Feet page.
  2. Chorizo:

      This must be a Spanish semi-cured Chorizo - DO NOT use Mexican Chorizo!! Chorizo Bilbao is fine and available from Spanish emporiums, or, more conveniently, from Philippine markets (in the frozen cases). For details see our Chorizo Bilbao page, or Sausages page. If none are available, use Polish Kielbasa.
  3. Kabocha Squash:

    or another firm "pumpkin", like acorn squash. For details see our Kabocha Squash page.
  4. Potatoes:

      White Rose or similar work well in recipes of this sort. Avoid Klondike Gold type potatoes - they quickly turn to mush with long cooking or reheating. For details see our Potatoes page.
  5. Sweet Chili:

      These, very popular in Puerto Rico and Cuba, are totally unavailable in Southern California (and most other places in North America). They are a no-heat Habanero Chili. I just pull the seeds and veins out of two of our hot Habaneros - they won't add much heat to this much soup.
  6. Culantro:

      [Sawtooth Herb] This herb is related to Cilantro but looks totally different, Use the entire leaf, including the stem part. If you can't get it, replace with about 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro (you can chop the stems with the leaves). Cilantro is different, but in the same ballpark. For details see our Culantro page.
  7. Tomato Sauce:

      Rather than using tomato paste called for in recipes, I like to add a convenient 8oz can of a very simple tomato sauce, which helps make up for deficient tomatoes. My favorite is Faraon Spanish Style, but other simple sauces will also work.
  8. Comments:

      The pattern recipe was written "old style", with no hints on serving and missing detail. The recipe implies the the Pig Feet are served whole. which doesn't make sense, so I modified the stepping a bit to debone and chop the feet. While my recipe makes quite a lot of soup, it's only half what the pattern recipe would have made.
  9. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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