L'Àngels' Christmas Broth (escudella i carn d'olla)
Escudella i carn d'olla with a deeply flavorful broth, enriched with the tenderness of beef and the pork jowl, a comforting classic of Catalan festivities.
Ingredients
Servings:
20

Meats

  • 750 grsbeef (the cut called conill)
  • 250 grspork (the cut called careta)
  • 1/2 pig's trotter
  • 1 osham bone
  • 1 osbeef spine bone
  • 1 osbeef knuckle bone
  • 150 grswhite botifarra
  • 150 grsblack botifarra
  • 100 grspork jowl
  • 1/2 stewing hen
  • 1/2 chicken

Vegetables

  • 250 grsraw chickpeas
  • 250 grspotatoes
  • 1 cabbage
  • 1 turnip
  • 4 carrots
  • 2 leeks
  • 1 parsnip
  • 1 celery heart
  • a pinch of baking soda

Water and galets

  • 9.5 litreswater (once the meats are in, fill to three fingers from the rim; after 3.5 hours boiling about 6.8 litres remain)
  • 800 grsChristmas galets (700 g for the broth + 100 g for the vegetable broth). About 50 g/bowl

Meatballs (optional)

  • 150 grsminced pork
  • 150 grsminced beef
  • 100 grsminced streaky bacon
  • 1 egg
  • 1 gragarlic clove
  • a little breadcrumb soaked in milk
  • parsley, salt and ground cinnamon
  • ground black pepper
  • biscuit flour (if needed to bind)
  • wheat flour for coating
Nutritional Information

Per items

Yield: 14 items

Calories
837 kcal
Protein
36.9 g
Fat
48.2 g
Carbohydrates
62.3 g

Calculated from reviewed ingredient weights and pinned USDA FoodData Central records.

Step-by-step Guide

Meatballs (optional)

  • Mix the minced meats in a bowl until well combined.
  • Add the whole egg, previously beaten with a fork.
  • Add the chopped parsley and garlic, along with the bread crumb previously soaked in milk and drained.
  • Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste and add a bit of ground cinnamon for aroma.
  • Work the mixture with a fork until well integrated, then knead it with your hands for about 5 minutes. If the mass is too moist, incorporate some breadcrumbs to compact it.
  • Form balls about 4-5 cm in diameter with the mixture.
  • Coat the balls with wheat flour, ensuring they are completely covered, and immediately immerse them in the boiling broth to cook them.

December 25 around 1:00 Pm

  • With the 6-7 liters of broth and 700 grams of pasta shells, you can yield about 14 servings. Make sure the broth is well-concentrated to achieve an intense flavor.
  • We should cook the pasta shells just when we start preparing the aperitif, that is, around 12:30 PM, to prevent the shells from absorbing too much broth and making the soup too thick.
  • Around 1:00 PM, start heating only the broth over medium-high heat. If it reaches a boil, turn off the heat, but ensure the broth remains very warm, at about 90-95 degrees Celsius.
  • When we begin the vermouth, bring the broth to a boil. Then, add the galets and cook them for the minutes indicated by the manufacturer, usually between 10 and 12 minutes, until they are al dente.

Total Measures for about 14 dishes

  • You will need between 6 and 7 liters of broth. Heat it over medium-high heat until it begins to boil gently. This may take about 10-15 minutes depending on the heat's power and the volume of broth you are using.
  • Add 700 grams of galets to the boiling broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook them for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until the galets are cooked to your liking. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Servings per Person

  • Use 50 grams of galets per person. This amount will ensure an adequate serving for a meal.
  • Calculate between 0.450 and 0.500 liters of broth per person, which is equivalent to approximately 1 liter of broth to prepare between 2 and 3 dishes. Add the hot broth just before serving to ensure the dish has the optimal temperature.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • Ask the butcher for the meats already cleaned and prepared; singeing hen, chicken, trotter and pig ear is a chore.
Original recipe
View or download the original PDF document.
L'Àngels' Christmas Broth (escudella i carn d'olla) | The Catalan Table