Asturias, Spain
Asturias's defining dish — large, creamy white beans (fabes de la Granja) cooked with a compango of pork products: morcilla asturiana, chorizo asturiano, lacón, and pork belly or shoulder. The beans must be from Asturias — the local fabes are larger, creamier, and more absorbent than any substitute. The compango is the flavour: the morcilla's blood and spice, the chorizo's paprika, the pork fat from the lacón, all dissolve into the bean liquor. Fabada is the most serious of all Spanish bean dishes. It requires discipline in technique and quality in every component.
Soak the fabes overnight in cold water. Always start in cold water — never add beans to boiling water. Add cold water whenever the liquid drops to prevent the beans from bursting (asustadas — startling the beans with cold water also tightens the skins). The compango goes in from the start for maximum flavour transfer. Do not stir — only gentle shaking of the pot. Cook on the lowest possible heat for 3-4 hours. Season only at the very end.
The best fabada is made the day before and gently reheated — the beans absorb the compango flavours overnight. The fat from the morcilla and chorizo rises to the surface and should be skimmed to taste — some is essential, all of it makes the dish too heavy. Serve with Asturian natural cider (sidra) or light Mencía red wine.
Boiling too vigorously — the beans burst and the skins separate. Stirring — agitation causes the beans to break. Using substitutes for fabes de la Granja — ordinary white beans produce a fundamentally inferior dish. Seasoning early — the cured meats release salt gradually.
The Food of Spain by Claudia Roden