This classic Canarian dish is a caldo (a hearty stew/soup) that’s full of flavour and goodness. This is one of those dishes that takes advantage of the fact that most stews, curries etc, taste better the day after preparation. Here’s how to make it at home.
INGREDIENTS (6 servings)
- 400g maize
- 100g wheat grains
- 6 garlic cloves
- 300g pork chops or knuckle of pork (or both)
- 20ml olive oil
- 100g diced bacon
- 1 large white onion
- 1 tbspn smoked sweet paprika
- 1L of water (or chicken, pork or vegetable stock)
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 500ml extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
1. Peel and chop the garlic cloves and the onion.
2. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and cook the bacon over medium heat until it starts sweating. Add the onion, the garlic, the corn and wheat and cook everything for 5 minutes, stirring well.
3. Add the pork chops or the knuckle (if you have both, add them, your dish will be tastier!). Cook everything for another 5 minutes, and then add the white wine, scraping any baked-on residue from the bottom of the pan. You need to cook the wine until all the alcohol is evaporated.
4. Add the paprika, cook for 30 seconds, then cover everything with water or stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat.
5. Leave to cool and keep your caldo de millo overnight inside your fridge.
6. Next morning add more liquid if necessary (maize and wheat will probably absorb some liquid during the night). Bring it to a boil again and cook it for 30 minutes or until the corn is tender. Your dish is ready to serve!
CHEF’S TIP
Using pork or chicken stock greatly improves the flavour of the dish.
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