Cocido Madrileño: Traditional Madrid-Style Stew Dinner

Place dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water by 5 cm (2 inches). Soak overnight for at least 12 hours. Drain and rinse before using.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add pork belly, chicken thighs, and beef shank. Blanch for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse. This removes impurities.

In the same large pot, add 2 liters of fresh water, the blanched meats, drained chickpeas, bay leaves, smoked paprika, saffron (if using), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1.5 hours.

Peel and halve the onions, peel carrots and cut into 2-inch pieces, peel potatoes and cut into large chunks, and cut cabbage into wedges. Add all to the pot. Continue simmering for another 1 hour, until chickpeas are tender and meats are falling apart.

While the stew simmers, prick the chorizo and morcilla sausages with a fork to release fat. In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and fry sausages until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Set aside.

After the vegetables have cooked, add the fried chorizo and morcilla to the pot. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper.

Remove about 1 liter of broth from the pot into a separate saucepan. Bring to a boil, then add the fideuá noodles. Cook until al dente, about 5-7 minutes. Drain if needed, but a little broth is fine. This is the first course: sopa de fideos.

To serve, present the soup first: ladle noodle broth into bowls. Then arrange the chickpeas and vegetables on a platter as a second course, drizzled with olive oil. Finally, slice the meats and arrange on a separate plate as the third course. Traditionally, each course is enjoyed separately, but you can also serve everything together in shallow bowls.