As the cold weather approaches, I start thinking of comfort food.
Food that warms the body and the soul. Food that you can eat with your slippers on. Food that you can dip your bread into.
This is one of those dishes. Spanish, Meditteranean flavours combined to bring a mixture of smokiness, spice, sweet velvety textures and it is, most of all a dish you want to have plenty of bread to dip into the juices..
Although this is a traditionally Spanish dish from the Asturian region, it is also made in Italy, France and Portugal with slight variations. This is my favourite version.
Fabada Asturiana
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 to 3 tins of cooked cannelini beans (if you're using uncooked beans just soak them overnight and then put them in with the meat at the beginning)
400gs of uncooked smoked ham or a ham hock
1 large Black Pudding Sausage, sliced or whole
1 large uncooked smoked Spanish chorizo
1 tsp of saffron
1 tsp of smoked paprika
100 gs of butter
Water (enough to cover the meat)
2 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Lots of fresh bread
Directions
1.Place the chorizo, ham and black sausage in a large pan. Cover with water and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for one hour.
2. Add the beans, saffron and paprika.Stir well, cover and and cook for a further 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Remove the ham and black Pudding Sausage. Allow them to cool slightly and then slice into thick chunks. Add the butter to the stew for extra thickness and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste..
4. Remove the chorizo and slice into large chunks.
5. Pour the stew into thick rustic bowls. Add the slices of smoked pork, Black Pudding sausage and chorizo. Sprinkle with lots of fresh parsley and serve with the bread.
