Asturian Bean Stew (Fabada Asturiana) — Smoky Spanish Bean and Pork Stew

• 500 gdried Asturian fabes beans (use fabes de la Granja if available)
• 2500 mlcold water for soaking
• 1800 mlcold water for cooking
• 250 gAsturian smoked chorizo (kept whole for cooking)
• 200 gAsturian morcilla (kept whole for cooking)
• 250 gcured pork shoulder (lacón, soaked for 2 hours if very salty)
• 150 gsalt pork or pancetta (in one thick piece)
• 1large yellow onion (peeled and left whole)
• 3 clovegarlic (peeled and lightly crushed)
• 1 leafbay leaf
• 12 strandsaffron (lightly crushed)
• 1 tspsweet Spanish paprika (preferably pimentón dulce)
• 6 gfine sea salt (add only after tasting the broth)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the fabes gently under cold running water, discarding any broken beans or small stones. Put them in a large bowl with 2500 ml cold water and soak for 12 hours at cool room temperature.

2. 2

   If the cured pork shoulder is very salty, place it in a separate bowl and cover it with cold water for 2 hours, then drain it. Drain the soaked beans carefully, keeping the skins intact because split beans can cloud and thicken the stew too aggressively.

3. 3

   Put the drained beans in a wide heavy pot and add 1800 ml cold water, the whole onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, cured pork shoulder, salt pork or pancetta, chorizo, and morcilla. Bring the pot slowly to a bare simmer over medium-low heat, skimming off the gray foam that rises during the first 20 minutes.

4. 4

   When the stew begins to simmer, reduce the heat so the surface barely trembles rather than boils. Add the saffron and paprika, then cook uncovered for 30 minutes without stirring with a spoon, which can break the beans.

5. 5

   Practice the Asturian technique called asustar the beans by adding 120 ml cold water whenever the simmer becomes too lively or the beans rise above the liquid. Continue cooking for about 2 hours more, gently shaking the pot by its handles every 20 minutes to help the broth emulsify.

6. 6

   Check the beans after 2 hours and 30 minutes of total simmering; they should be creamy inside but still whole. If they are firm, continue simmering in 15-minute intervals, adding 100 ml cold water only if the liquid falls below the beans.

7. 7

   Remove the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, then taste the broth before adding the 6 g fine sea salt because the cured meats may already provide enough seasoning. Lift out the chorizo, morcilla, pork shoulder, and salt pork, slice them into thick rounds or chunks, and return them to the pot.

8. 8

   Turn off the heat and let the fabada rest for 20 minutes before serving so the broth settles and thickens naturally. Serve hot in shallow bowls, making sure each portion includes beans, broth, chorizo, morcilla, and cured pork.