This being the month of Christmas, a holiday celebrated among 160 of the 195 countries that make up this planet, I’ve decided to do a monthly installment of how different countries around the world celebrate this special holiday in their kitchens and feature their signature holiday meals. Some may be sides, some may be mains, maybe a dessert or two, some may be a complete dinner. Only time will tell by which country my girls have randomly pulled out of Santa’s hat.
I knew it would only be a matter of time before my children drew one of the main three countries I cover through my Culinary Ridealong Series. They pulled Spain from Santa’s hat and I was a bit relieved because I only just started covering Spain’s La Vuelta this year. Today’s Christmas dish is Sopa de Galets, named after the tiny pasta shape that is reminiscent of a snail’s shell. They are super cute, but tough to find. I waited a little too long and had to go with shells (conchiglie) I could find at the local store. But, the pasta here is almost an afterthought. I mean, yes, it is important to use the proper pasta shape and to cook it until just al dente and finish it in the soup pot...and, yes, Galets or Conchiglie are perfect as they hold little portions of this tasty stock in their shells. But…the stock is the straw that stirs the drink in this dish. It is a celebration of flavors, which takes a few hours, that reminded me of the stock they serve by-the-cup at the famed Il Solociccia, where my wife and I dined on our honeymoon. The key to this stock is various kinds of pork and meat. Use whatever you have laying around in the freezer. My only regret is that my largest post is a little over 13 quarts. My life would be easier with a real-deal stock pot (24-32 quarts). I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. Make your meal even more festive by serving up some sparkling, white sangria!
Galets Soup
¾ lbs of dried pasta (galets preferred) but small or medium shells will do.
Stock
~3 lbs bone-in pork shoulder
1 duck (or chicken) carcass
1 pig’s foot
2 chicken thighs
½ lb ground beef
¼ lb fatty bacon
2 small onions
2 leeks
2 large carrots
2 small tender celery stalks (from the inside of the stalk)
½ small cabbage
2 medium-sized potatoes
Meatballs
1 lb meatloaf mix
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
Breadcrumbs
Egg, lightly beaten
Flour
Oil
Place a large stock pot over high heat and place the shoulder, fowl carcass, and pigs foot on the bottom. Add in the thighs, beef, and bacon and cover with plenty of water (at least 12 cups). Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Using a large spoon, skim the surface to remove any foam. Simmer for an hour, adding about a cup of hot water back to the pot to make up for what you skim off.
While the meat simmers, cut your vegetables into medium dice. After the meat has simmered for an hour, add all of the vegetables to the pot, with a heavy pinch of salt and black pepper. Add more hot water to the pot to cover everything. Simmer for 90 mins to 2 hours.
Meanwhile, prepare your meatballs by combining the meat, garlic, parsley and egg. Sprinkle in some bread crumbs (about a ¼ cup to start, adding more, if necessary) and season with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined, then form tiny meatballs. Once the meatballs have been formed, place them in a zip-lock bag and sprinkle on about ¼ cup of flour. Toss the meatballs until lightly coated with flour, discarding any excess flour.
Cover the bottom of a skillet with oil, place over medium-high heat and fry the meatballs until browned, reducing the heat to medium once you initially turn the meatballs. Remove the cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Once the stock is ready and has been reduced by about a third, remove the large pieces of meat from the pot and set aside on a cutting board (you can use the cooked meat for other soups or meals), discarding the carcass, pigs foot, and bacon.
Pour the vegetables and stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing the solids to get all of the tasty juices. Pour the strained stock (you’ll want about 6 cups) into a pot, cover, and keep warm over low heat, tasting for any seasoning needs.
Boil your pasta, 2-3 minutes shy of the cooking instructions.
When the past is ready, place half of the cooked meatballs into the stock, drain and transfer the pasta to the soup, topping with the remaining meatballs. Add more stock or pasta water if necessary. Simmer together for 2-3 minutes, then serve.
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Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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