Fabada asturiana – Asturian bean stew

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 400 gDried white beans, ideally fabes
• 200 gLacón (cured pork shoulder), in one piece
• 100 gSalted pork belly, in one piece
• 2Spanish chorizos, smoked Asturian
• 200 gSpanish blood sausage (morcilla), 2 smoked Asturian ones
• 1Yellow onion, whole, peeled
• 2 clovesGarlic, peeled
• 2 tbspOlive oil
• ≈ 2 lWater, cold
• 1 sachetSaffron
• to tasteSalt

Method

1. The night before, soak the beans in plenty of cold water. Soak the lacón and pork belly in a separate bowl to draw out some of the salt.
2. Drain the beans and put them in a wide pot with the lacón, pork belly, chorizo, morcilla, onion, garlic and oil. Pour in the cold water to cover by a couple of centimetres.
3. Bring slowly to the boil over a medium heat, skimming off the foam that rises.
4. When it boils, add a splash of cold water to stop the boil (in Asturias they call this 'scaring' the beans), turn the heat down as low as it goes and cover.
5. Simmer very gently for about 2½ hours, until the beans are creamy. Don't stir: gently shake the pot now and then, and add a splash of cold water if needed so the beans stay covered.
6. After about an hour, crumble the saffron into a spoonful of the broth and add it to the pot.
7. Lift out the sausages and meat, discard the onion and cut the meat and sausages into pieces. Taste the beans and add salt only now, as the meats are salty.
8. Leave the fabada to rest off the heat for 30 minutes so it thickens.
9. Reheat gently and serve the beans in deep plates with the meats and sausages alongside or on top.

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