Spanish Fabada Asturiana: Slow-Simmered White Bean Stew with Chorizo and Morcilla

Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large heavy pot with the chorizo, morcilla, bacon, ham hock, onion halves, garlic and bay leaves.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried large white beans (fabes or cannellini), soaked overnight
• 2 Spanish chorizo sausages (about 8 ounces)
• 2 morcilla blood sausages (about 6 ounces)
• 8 ounces slab bacon or salt pork, in one piece
• 1 small smoked ham hock
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and halved
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
• A generous pinch of saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large heavy pot with the chorizo, morcilla, bacon, ham hock, onion halves, garlic and bay leaves.
2. Add enough cold water to cover everything by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce to the gentlest possible simmer.
3. Pour in a splash of cold water to stop the boil, a step Asturian cooks call asustar or scaring the beans, which keeps the skins from splitting.
4. Simmer uncovered for 2 hours, shaking the pot occasionally rather than stirring, so the beans stay whole. Add cold water whenever the level drops below the beans.
5. Warm the olive oil in a small pan, stir in the paprika and saffron for 20 seconds, then stir this into the stew.
6. Continue simmering for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans are completely tender and the broth has thickened to a creamy consistency. Season with salt only at the end.
7. Lift out the meats, slice the sausages and bacon into chunks, pull the ham off the hock, and return everything to the pot. Discard the onion and bay leaves.
8. Rest the stew for 15 minutes, then ladle into deep bowls and serve with crusty bread.
9. Fabada is the national dish of Asturias on Spain's rainy northern coast, where the prized fabes de la granja beans are harvested in late September and October. The compango of chorizo, morcilla and cured pork gives the stew its deep smoky flavor, and a bowl of it after a damp autumn walk through the apple orchards is as Asturian as a glass of cider.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 640 kcal
• Protein: 38g
• Fat: 32g
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Fiber: 16g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 1180mg