Puchero

Puchero is a Uruguayan stew of beef and chorizo, simmered with pumpkin, sweet corn, cabbage, carrot and potato. It is also made in Argentina and Spain. The name is the Spanish word for the earthenware pot the stew was traditionally cooked in, and each cook decides how much meat to use and which vegetables to add, so two bowls of puchero can differ a good deal.

What it really is

Beef in large pieces goes into water with chorizo and is simmered slowly until the meat is tender. Root vegetables such as carrot and potato go in first, then pumpkin and pieces of corn on the cob, with the cabbage added later so it stays firm. The broth takes its flavour from the meat, the sausage and the vegetables, and the soup and the solids are served together, so the cooking liquid is part of the dish.

How it's served

• Hot, in deep bowls, with the broth, meat, sausage and vegetables together.
• Sliced chorizo and pieces of beef on the plate, with the vegetables alongside.
• Bread on the side, to soak up the broth.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the proteins: beef and chorizo. Say which cut of beef you use.
• Chorizo is usually pork, so state that clearly for guests who avoid pork. Puchero is not a vegetarian dish.
• The traditional version contains no wheat, milk, egg or nuts. Ask your supplier whether the chorizo contains sulphites, and flag them if it does.
• List the vegetables by name: pumpkin, sweet corn, cabbage, carrot and potato, so guests who avoid corn or potato can choose accordingly.