Fabada asturiana

Fabada Asturiana (Asturian pork and beans)

We made this in East Andalusia around April. It is traditionally a dish served in winter, but the weather was cool enough to give us an excuse to try this out.

If you aren't making this in Spain you may struggle to find the traditional "fabes" beans so substitute the white beans with cannellini. Use dried beans if you can as they hold together better over the long cook. In fact, if you use canned beans, add them towards the end.

Morcilla is a Spanish-style blood sausage. Substitute with your local black sausage specialty.

The parsley is a nice touch, but, as always, sourcing it may not be the easiest when on the road. We now carry potted herbs just in case.

serves 6

500g white beans
2 pieces chorizo
2 pieces morcilla
200g pork shoulder or belly
100g bacon piece
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp saffron threads
2 bay leaves
1 tsp sweet paprika powder
Salt (as needed) and pepper
Fresh parsley

Soak the white beans in water in a large pot overnight. Water should cover the beans by 3cm.

Bring to the boil (don't replace the water, use the soaking water). Use a slotted spoon to remove as much of the foam as you can that forms on top.

Meanwhile, heat some olive oil over medium heat in a fry pan. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and saute until they become translucent and fragrant. Add the pork and bacon to the pan and brown, then add the chorizo sausage and black pudding and continue cooking for a few more minutes until lightly browned.

Pop the meat, onion and garlic along with the herbs (sans salt; this has a lot of pig in it, so leave the salt until the end) in the pot and bring to a low simmer. Cover. Cook for 2 hours covered, and continue to remove the foam and grease from the top as it forms. Remove the bay leaves after about an hour.

When almost ready, taste for saltiness and add extra if needed. I always add pepper. Serve with fresh parsley. Some fresh bread is a natural accompaniment, great for mopping up the sauce.