Fabada Asturiana

ASTURIAN BEAN AND SAUSAGE STEW

SERVES 6 TO 8 AS A MAIN DISH OR 10 TO 12 AS A SMALL PLATE

A few Novembers ago, I had the best fabada asturiana ever. Granted, it was in Asturias, home of this dish. And it did start with fresh Asturian fabe beans, which you can’t buy stateside. This is my attempt to reach that level of perfection using dried beans. The products closest to the originals are the bean company Rancho Gordo’s cassoulet or yellow-eyed beans. And the best sausages are either homemade (see here) or ordered through La Tienda or Despaña. When you’re making a dish so deeply rooted in a particular region, your best bet is to start with ingredients similar to what’s used there. While I can’t dictate when you serve your meals, I can advise you to dish this up for lunch all alone or with a simple green salad. You’ll need the rest of the day to settle after eating this filling blend of beans and sausage. A glass of red wine or Asturian cider certainly helps, too.

1 pound dried fabes Asturianas, or other white beans

2 cups Chicken Stock or store-bought unsalted chicken stock

3 ounces salt pork

2 fresh Chorizo or store-bought

2 fresh Morcilla de Burgos (blood sausage with rice) links (here) or store-bought

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

¼ teaspoon saffron

Kosher salt

½ medium onion, very finely chopped

½ teaspoon pimentón (smoked sweet paprika)

COVER THE BEANS WITH COLD WATER BY 2 inches in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the beans and place in a large saucepot. Add the chicken stock, then add just enough water to cover the beans, 1 to 2 cups. Nestle the salt pork, chorizo, and morcillas in the beans, then add the butter and 2 tablespoons oil. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. In the beginning, you can stir everything together with a spoon, but as the beans cook, occasionally pick the pot up and swirl it instead. Stirring will break the beans once they soften. Swirl in the saffron and ½ teaspoon salt.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and pimentón. Cook, stirring often, until everything is caramelized, about 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn the pimentón. Scrape into the pot with the beans and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Taste the beans to see if they are done. If not, continue simmering until they are tender all the way through, probably another 20 minutes or so. If the liquid level drops below the beans, add water. The whole stew can be cooled at this point and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

When ready to serve, transfer the salt pork and sausages to a cutting board. Cut into bite-size pieces, then return to the pot. Taste and add more salt if you think it needs it. Serve hot.