Carcamusas (Spanish-Style Pork Stew with Chorizo and Paprika)

Rewarms Well, Great Leftovers

As a guest of the Trade Commission of Spain, I went with a group to the ancient walled city of Toledo in Castilla-La Mancha to learn about the foods of the region. Shortly after arriving, we settled in at a small bar-restaurant called Cámara de Toledo, located off the main square, for some tapas. First to arrive were plates of hand-cut local serrano ham, thinly sliced rounds of air-dried chorizo, and Manchego cheese. Then came cubes of crispy fried potatoes and carcamusas, a stewy concoction of chorizo and diced tender pork. It took only a single bite for me to realize I had to have the recipe for this specialty. When I asked the host for the recipe, I got a vague list of ingredients with no measurements or instructions. Through trial and error, I came up with something pretty close to what I remember. I recommend serving carcamusas with diced potatoes (Yukon Gold potatoes are best), cooked in olive oil until golden and crisp. The stew is best made ahead so the assertive flavors of the chorizo and ham can mellow and penetrate the pork.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ pound Spanish-style chorizo (see Cook’s Note) or linguica, diced
• 3 cups thinly sliced onions
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
• 2 pounds boneless country-style ribs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups dry white wine
• 2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth, or more if needed
• 2 generous pinches saffron threads (I use Spanish)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram or oregano
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups peeled, seeded, and diced vine-ripened tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen), or Gary’s
• Heirloom Tomato Sauce
• 1 12-ounce package frozen peas

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the chorizo. Cook until the edges begin to color, stirring from time to time, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are quite soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle over the paprika, stir to coat, and cook for 1 minute. Add the ribs and a sprinkle each of salt and pepper, stir well, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and increase the heat to high. Boil to reduce the wine to about 1 cup, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth and saffron to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat.
3. When the wine has reduced, add the warm broth, marjoram, parsley, and tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, for 45 to 65 minutes, or until the pork is tender and the sauce is just beginning to thicken. If it’s too thick, add more broth. (At this point you can cool and refrigerate overnight.)
4. Degrease the surface. If it’s been refrigerated, rewarm the stew over low heat. Add the peas and cook for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

ALTERNATIVE CUT:

• Boneless Boston butt, bone-in blade steak, blade pork chops, or back ribs (cooked on the bone).

COOK’S NOTES:

• Do not use Mexican chorizo. Look for Spanish chorizo that is not fully dried but somewhat soft when squeezed, called semicurado .

LEFTOVERS:

• Serve leftovers over wide noodles like pappardelle or over linguine and garnish with grated aged Manchego cheese. Carcamusas is also great served over bulgur, brown rice, or couscous.
• For a great casserole, combine 2 to 3 cups leftover carcamusas with 3 to 4 cups cooked bulgur, brown rice, or couscous in a baking dish. Dot the top with butter and bake in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, until heated through.