Escudella Recipe – How To Make A Perfect Andorran Dish
Although Andorran cuisine is mainly Catalan, it also has some influence from Italy and Spain, due to its proximity to this small country. Due to its mountainous regions, sheep are a common livestock animal, making lamb the favorite meat, but pork also features quite frequently in Andorran cuisine, especially in the form of sausages and ham. Due to its large opening to the sea, fish is also another common ingredient.
Fresh vegetables are essential for the best of Andorran cuisine, and the most commonly used vegetables are potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage and day laborers. The staple foods are usually pasta and bread, usually served with cheese and wine. Foei gras is also very common on the Andorran dining table. Andorran cuisine is well known for using a variety of cooking methods and techniques. Using the right amount of spices or being able to pair the right wine with your food is considered an essential part of Andorran food.
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Escudella is a classic Catalan dish, but with the clever flourishes and infectious personality imparted to it by generations of Andorran cooks, Andorra now has its own version of the escudella, and it’s amazing enough to be known as the national dish of Andorra.
It is basically a stew made from gelatinous bone broth, whose proteins come from chicken, ham and sausage, along with the bones of veal or beef. There are many variations of the escudella, which is to be expected as it is considered a traditional peasant dish and is a comfort food for many Andorrans. Some cooks find Escudella lacking in color contrast and vibrancy, but that’s just a visual component: once you’ve tasted it, you’ll be back for more and more and more. It’s definitely a hearty one-dish wonder.
The ingredients:
2 cups of dried white beans
1 small ham bone
1 marrow bone (veal or beef)
1/4 chicken (or use several pieces, depending on your preference for white or dark)
400g raw pork sausages, sliced or balled
2 slices of Serrano ham, cut into chunks
1 large potato, cut into eights (Desiree or white)
1/4 cup rice
1 cup pasta noodles (or pasta shells)
1 cup cooked chickpeas (yes, you can use the canned ones to save time)
Salt and pepper (according to your tastes)
Instructions:
Gently cook the sausage chunks/balls in a cast-iron Dutch oven with vegetable oil over medium heat until golden brown. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, a fireproof pot or saucepan will work just as well.
Rinse the dry white beans in cold water and tie the ham bone and marrow in cheesecloth.
Put the beans, bones in cheesecloth, cooked sausage, and ham in the pot or casserole dish. Fill it with 8 cups of cold water and add salt to taste.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, covered, for about 2 hours. A good test to see if it is done is to check that the beans are cooked and the chicken is very tender.
Remove bones and discard. If you like to eat marrow, and most people do, you can save it for later.
Remove chicken pieces and set aside.
If there is only a little liquid left, you can add a little more water.
Bring it to a rapid boil.
When it is boiling, add the cabbage, potatoes, rice, noodles (or shells), cooked chickpeas and add pepper to taste.
Lower the flames to medium heat.
Cook for 30 minutes. You can test to see if it is ready by checking the softness of the rice and potatoes.
Before serving, put the chicken back inside. If it’s bone-in and you don’t like bones, you can remove them from the meat before putting it back in the pot or pan.
Cook for a few more minutes. This is for the chicken in the stew/soup to reheat.
Season to taste.
Serve warm.
Suggestions:
Baguettes or other French/Italian bread are the perfect accompaniment to this dish.
Grades:
The end result should be a mix of stew and soup – think about the consistency of split pea soup.
