Fabada Asturiana
The northern Spanish bean stew — fat white fabes simmered slow with chorizo, morcilla, and pork shoulder until the broth turns smoky-orange and silky.
Ingredients
- dried fabes (or large white beans)1 lb, soaked overnight
- spanish chorizo (cured)8 oz
- morcilla (spanish blood sausage)8 oz
- pork shoulder1 lb, in chunks
- yellow onion1, halved
- garlic1 head, halved
- saffron threadspinch
- smoked paprika1 tsp
- bay leaves2
- extra-virgin olive oil2 tbsp
Steps
Combine beans and ingredients.
Drain the soaked beans. In a heavy pot, combine the beans, pork shoulder, onion, garlic head, bay, paprika, and 8 cups cold water. Pour in the olive oil.
Bring to a bare simmer.
Bring to a bare simmer (do not boil). Skim the foam carefully for the first 10 minutes.
Simmer with chorizo and morcilla.
Tuck in the chorizo and morcilla whole. Add the saffron. Simmer uncovered very gently for 2 hours, adding a splash of cold water every 30 minutes to 'scare' the beans and keep them whole.
Remove and slice meats.
Lift out the chorizo, morcilla, and pork. Slice the chorizo and morcilla; cut the pork into bite pieces. Discard the onion and garlic head.
Thicken broth and season.
Mash a small ladleful of beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth. Return the meats. Season with salt — chorizo and morcilla are salty, taste first.
Rest and serve.
Rest 15 minutes off heat. Serve in deep bowls — even better the next day.
Nutrition, per serving. 460 calories. Protein 33.5 grams, 28 percent. Carbs 30 grams, 25 percent. Fat 25 grams, 47 percent. Fiber 10 grams, sugar 3 grams, saturated fat 7.5 grams, sodium 850 milligrams. Estimated from ingredients.
