Chickpeas with oxtail, pumpkin and shiitake

INGREDIENTS (for 6 people):

• 500g of chickpeas
• 1 kg of oxtail
• 1 ripe tomato
• 200g of pumpkin
• 1 green pepper
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 large onion
• 1 teaspoon of La Vera paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground or crushed cumin
• 300g of fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 75 ml of red wine
• 75 ml of manzanilla wine
• Black pepper
• Laurel
• Shall

PREPARATION:

The day before making the stew, soak the chickpeas to hydrate them. Once soaked, cook them (in a pressure cooker, about 10 minutes, if the chickpeas are of good quality). When they are ready, pour the broth through a colander placed in a bowl to collect the liquid. Strain it to remove any impurities, and then return it to the chickpeas.

In a pressure cooker, place the oxtail with bay leaves, salt, and a few black peppercorns. Cover with water, close the cooker, and place it over heat. Once steam begins to escape, cook for 50 minutes. When the steam stops, open the cooker. The resulting broth will be used for the stew.

Meanwhile, prepare a good sofrito with all the chopped vegetables. Let them sauté well, allowing the water to evaporate and them to begin caramelizing. At that point, add the paprika and cumin, stir, and then add the wines. Let it simmer until all the alcohol has evaporated. Remove from the heat and blend.

In a large enough pot, combine the chickpeas and oxtail broth (you can reserve some broth separately to avoid adding too much liquid and add it as needed). Peel and dice the pumpkin and add it to the broth to boil. Then add the sofrito, and finally, the oxtail, either in pieces with the bone or boneless, as preferred. Clean and chop the shiitake mushrooms and add them. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

José Andrés Jiménez, Almijara Casual Bar (Málaga)