For me, one of the joys of travelling abroad is to try different kinds of cuisine, especially good, honest home-cooking where the quality and taste of food take precedence over elaborate plate decorations. At Madrid, in a covered market, I spotted a tapas bar that specialised in sea food and slices of bread served with sea food and a generous slug of olive oil. The place was heaving with locals, and in the midst of gesticulating my order (I don't speak Spanish), the barman dished up a chickpea stew and barked at me "Bueno!"
Here it is, the stew, which I believe is called cocido madrileno. It came with a broth that contained vermicelli. The dish was robust, tasty - just the item to sustain anyone on a cold, wet, wintry day.
