Fabada Asturiana and Fabes versus Favas

I received the latest issue of Food & Wine Magazine recently; the issue was all about Spain, and the trip through Spain was hosted by José Andrés. I have been to Barcelona, once, for a day, and loved the city, or all I got to see of it. Food though, was not stellar in the one restaurant we got to try.

That said, I have tasted foods that are Spanish in origin, such as Paella Valenciana, or Caldo Gallego, though I was not in Spain to taste them at their source. I know some of the flavors and know that I love them. This issue of Food and Wine was just dreamy, with all the foods and recipes, and though I had heard of Fabada Asturiana, I had never eaten it. Still, it certainly got my attention (along with at least 15 other recipes), and though I am not at all fond of Morcilla, or blood sausage (I did taste it a few times in Guatemala), with all the other meats in this soup/stew, one sausage would not be terribly missed, at least in my book!

My Fabada Asturiana

The meats called for in the Food and Wine recipe, along with many others I researched online, are ham hocks, slab bacon, morcilla (blood sausage) and Spanish chorizo. As it happens, I had ordered a couple of packages of chorizo and had them in my freezer. And then I came to the beans: Asturian Fabes.

Asturian Fabes

Here began the search, because in most places, "fabes" (which is plural for Faba or Fabe beans) are interpreted as Fava beans. Let me just say: Fabes and Favas are NOT the same bean. Fava beans will not replace Fabes in this dish. As far as I can learn, Asturian Fabes are a vining bean, probably a runner bean variety of Phaseolus vulgaris.

Asturian Fabe Beans (shown top right in the photo below - photo source found here) grow in Asturias, in the mountainous areas of northwestern Spain. They are a large, white bean (though I had no luck finding exact measurements), and shaped similarly to cannellini beans. They are described as creamy textured and flavored. Many places cite how very large these beans get once cooked, since they start out quite large in dried form. I went online to look for Asturian Fabes, and let me just say that they are not easy to find, and once you do find them, they are (to me) exorbitantly priced. I chose not to pay $19.95 (now, as of 2022, $24.00) plus $9.95 S&H for just one pound of beans, on LaTienda.com. Believe it or not, I couldn't find them on Amazon! The one thing that kept getting substituted was Fava Beans.

Clockwise from top left: Fava Beans;  Asturian Fabes;  (map of Spain with Asturias in red), Mexican Royal Corona Beans

Fava Beans

By contrast, fava beans (seen top left in the photo above - photo source found here), also called broad beans, are from the scientific classification Vicia faba. They grow on a bush-like plant. They look entirely different, and are most often eaten fresh. Dried, they are a deep tan/brown and look nothing like the white Asturian Fabes.

The one other kind of bean that was suggested to take the place of the Asturian Fabe beans was dried cannellini beans. Cannellini beans are smaller than the Asturian Fabes, but are similar in texture and are a good substitute.

What I Chose to Use

After searching fruitlessly for Asturian fabes that were reasonably priced and having no success, I went to Rancho Gordo. I have not bought beans from Rancho Gordo very often, but what I have gotten is of exceptional quality. They grow heirloom varieties of beans, some that were nearly lost completely, sometimes due to nothing more than the trickiness of growing them. I really admire those brave souls that are working to bring back heirloom plants, be they beans, or types of ancient wheat or tomatoes (among many other foods). Rancho Gordo has some wonderful varieties of beans, and they have recipes and suggestions for their use. On immediate search, I found nothing of Asturian Fabe beans, which makes sense, as Rancho Gordo is in the American southwest and generally discovering some of the many beans that were found in the southwest. I read about each of the heirloom types of beans they had to offer, and with the last beans on the page, I found what I would use: Royal Corona Beans. This is the description:

"Enormous, thick-skinned runner beans with a surprisingly creamy interior. One of our all-time best sellers, it's a versatile giant that works in all kinds of cuisines. A true pantry staple."

The "creamy interior" part of that quote is what cinched the deal, for me. That is how the Asturian Fabes were described. And they were not kidding or exaggerating when they described them as "giant." 

My Royal Corona Beans: left, dried; right, soaked, prior to cooking

As soon as I received the beans, I set ⅓ of the bag to soak in lots of water overnight, intending to make this soup the following day.

And next morning I ended up in the hospital, and was there through the next day. I was fretting over the beans in the soaking water. Would they be okay after soaking for an extra two days? My husband said that my health was more important than beans!

Once I was home and all was well, I set the beans to cook the next day, along with the rest of the ingredients and the dish came out so good that my husband and I were truly impressed. The beans were just as described. They were lovely, creamy and flavorful. I am planning to try them cooked and soaked in a vinaigrette as a side dish, with the next ⅓ of the package! The extra days of soaking (in the fridge) did them no harm at all.

My Fabada Asturiana

My Fabada Asturiana

Serves 4 to 6

⅓ pound dried Royal Corona or Cannellini beans
1 or 2 ham hocks
¼ pound chunk slab bacon
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic
1½ to 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (Pimenton de la Vera)
¼ to ½ teaspoon saffron threads
¼ pound air dried Spanish chorizo

The night before making the soup, sort through and set the beans to soak with water to cover by at least 2 or 3 inches.  

The following afternoon, drain the beans and discard soaking water. Place the beans in a pot and once again cover with water by at least an inch or so. Add in the ham hock(s) with the chunk of slab bacon, the onion, garlic, smoked paprika and saffron. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 2 hours. The beans should be tender, but not falling apart.

Add in the chorizo, all in one piece, and cook for another half hour. Remove the meats from the pot to a plate to cool. Slice the chorizo into pieces and return to the pot. Remove meat from the ham hock, discarding the skin, fat and bones. Put the ham meat back into the pot. If your slab bacon is very meaty, cut up the meat and add back into the pot. Otherwise, just cube the piece of bacon and add that to the pot. Reheat and serve, preferably with a nice piece of crusty bread.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Beans Beans They're Good For Your Heart

I have made quite a few bean meals lately, but these have mostly been Guatemalan recipes. I made Piloyes with Chorizo a couple of months back, using some new runner beans, "Ayocote Morado", that I found from Rancho Gordo - XOXOC Project. The dish turned out most excellently, and the beans were creamy and had great bite and flavor. 

Frijoles Blancos con Chorizo

I got 4 different kinds of beans in a sampler pack when I got those, and had been itching to try another Guatemalan bean dish - this is one I had a recipe for, but had never made or eaten in the past. I had seen photos of the dish, but couldn't quite "taste" it in my mind. I wanted to make this dish so I could try it out, but also so I could put my own stamp on it, and have photos to show and use in the Guatemalan cookbook I made for two of my children. I am currently updating the book again, for my son, and trying to make as many dishes as I can, so most of the book is straight from my own experiences. 

The beans and chorizo I used

So this new dish is called Frijoles Blancos con Chorizo, or White Beans with Chorizo. In actuality, there is more pork meat than chorizo in the dish, but regardless, I did have a small package of chorizo in the freezer, waiting on this dish, as well as the pork. The pork that is called for in the original recipe is pork spine meat. This is not necessarily found in just any supermarket, so I opted for another bony pork cut: little riblets. These are narrow strips of the ribs, cut across the bones, so the bones are only about 2 inches long, maximum. There is plenty of bone end exposed, so all the bone-rich flavor is released into the stew. And the beans, of course, have also been waiting for me. This time the beans I used were "Alubia Blanca." These are smaller, similar to Navy beans in size. They made an excellent base for  this dish.

Since my tomato plants are still producing, I had plenty of tomatoes to use for the sauce that is added toward the end of cooking. The recipe calls for Roma tomatoes, and this is the kind I would normally use, but I had no Romas this time. Instead, I used some smaller round tomatoes and cut them in half and scooped out the seeds, leaving a far less watery tomato. 

Guatemalan recipes are rarely anything but complex and/or time consuming. Guatemalan women often had a maid, and the maid was the chief cook and bottle washer, so to speak. Most recipes in Guatemala call for at least two different cooking methods, and often three. One assumes that the average Guatemalan woman has the entire day to spend in the kitchen cooking. This bean recipe was no different. First the beans are set to cook with the garlic, chorizo and pork, then the potatoes are added and this is cooked down to tenderness. Separately, the tomatoes, onion and garlic are broiled or otherwise charred (either on a grill or in a dry skillet). Once they are charred, these are pureed in a blender or through a food mill. Then the resultant mixture is fried down a bit before being added to the beans. Kind of a pain to do all these steps.

However!

The results are spectacular. There are no two ways about it. I had never tried this dish in Guatemala, so it was a complete surprise for me. While I expected a bean dish made with pork and chorizo to be tasty, I just never imagined it would be this amazing. My husband and I really chowed on this stew last evening, so I hope that some of my readers might try this out. It is well worth the time. The tomato sauce part can easily be made ahead of time and refrigerated, or even frozen for later use, and is a delicious sauce on its own. The use of a slow cooker makes the cooking of the beans easy and simple; set it and forget it. 
This is what I did:

Frijoles Blancos con Chorizo or White Beans with Chorizo

Serves 6 to 8

Frijoles Blancos con Chorizo

1 pound white beans (Navy beans, Alubia Blanca), soaked overnight
3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled & sliced
2 small chorizo (about 3.25 ounces), preferably air-dried
1 pound pork riblets or pork spine meat
2 small potatoes, peeled, cubed
2 teaspoons salt

RECADO / SAUCE:
1 pound Roma tomatoes
1 large onion, peeled, cut in wedges
3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 - 2 tablespoons shortening, lard or bacon grease for frying
½ teaspoon salt

If using a slow cooker, pour in the beans with their soaking water and add in the sliced garlic, chorizo, cut in slices, and the pork riblets. Add in the cubed potatoes and set to cook for 5 to 6 hours, or until tender. Add the 2 teaspoons of salt once the beans are already tender. 

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If cooking in a large pot or Dutch oven, repeat the steps above and bring the pot to boil. Reduce to a bare simmer and cover, cooking until the beans are tender, about 2 to 3 hours. Add the salt once the beans are tender.

To make the sauce, cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set the tomatoes on the sheet, cut side upwards. Add the onion wedges to the sheet and set under a preheated broiler, very close to the heat element. Watch the vegetables carefully, and have a blender container and tongs at the ready. Once the tomatoes have gotten charred and slightly blackened, remove them to the blender container. The onions will need to be turned once or twice during the broiling, to get a bit of char on different sides. Near the end of the onion cooking time, add the 3 whole garlic cloves to the pan and watch. They will turn brown, at which point they should be turned to brown on the opposite side. Remove the onions and garlic to the blender as they reach your desired doneness. Add in the fresh thyme leaves and blend the mixture to a relatively smooth paste. Season with the ½ teaspoon of salt.

cooking down the sauce: before and after

Heat a large skillet and add in the shortening, lard or bacon grease. Pour in the pureed mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring to help with evaporation. Once the mixture is cooked down it will be added to the pot of cooked beans. If using a slow cooker, make this sauce an hour ahead and pour it in to meld flavors for at least 45 minutes more. If cooking in a Dutch oven, allow the sauce to meld flavors at a simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot, as is, or with rice.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Long Awaited Guatemalan Dish of Piloyes

When I lived in Guatemala, only one time in all that time, were Piloyes con Chorizo served. I absolutely loved them, but never really knew what Piloyes were, except that they are beans. This last and only time I ate this dish was before 1973!

After all these years, in doing some research I learned that Piloyes are runner beans. Runner beans come in many many types and colors. According to one place I read, the ones used in this dish are Scarlet Runner Beans. Scarlet Runner Beans produce a lovely scarlet flower, and are often grown for how pretty the flowers are, but they do produce edible beans, and can be cooked fresh or dried. 

Rancho Gordo Beans and Chorizo Quijote

As it happens, I had been wanting to make these beans, to see if I still loved them as much as I did all those years ago. I might have actually ordered the Scarlet Runner Beans, had I gone straight to the site where they are available. The site is www.ranchogordo.com. There are so many wonderful looking and sounding beans; heirloom varieties, some that have nearly died out, or are less easy to produce. As it happens, I was online looking to order something entirely different: Weck jelly jars. While on the particular site, I looked around to see what else was available, and they had a small assortment of Rancho Gordo beans, so I ordered a sampler of 4 varieties, one of which is a very large bean, deep reddish and with some spots, called Ayocote Morado. 

Ayocote Morado Beans and Air Dried Chorizo

There is a 5-type-of-bean sampler available at Amazon. None of these types are either this Ayocote Morado or Scarlet Runner Beans. Going to their website is the one way to really see the scope of what these people are doing. Someone complained on Amazon that these beans are too expensive. Maybe. But one certainly cannot go to any grocery store and find them, so online it is. 

Anyway, back to my Piloyes. I found also that the reason that the beans used in Guatemala were called Piloyes are because of the root word "pilo" meaning pole. Pole = runner beans - AHA! These Ayocote Morado beans I used for the dish are also runner beans, and also very large beans. I did not soak them. BIG mistake. I am used to putting on a pot of black beans or navy beans and having them cooked through in about 3 hours, with no soaking. These huge beans took a solid 8 hours of cooking until they were done. Needless to say, we ate something else for dinner that night, because they were just plain not ready yet! A word to the wise: soak the beans overnight!

Piloyes con Chorizo with avocado

The recipe is very simple, really, and requires few ingredients. Unfortunately two of the main ingredients, namely the beans and the chorizo are hard to come by up here. I covered the beans, but then there is the chorizo. There is no Mexican store up here anymore, and the only kind of chorizo available is a soft variety that is in a tube - a soft variety that would never hold its shape while cooking with the beans. What is required is a Spanish style, air-dried, preferably, that has great flavor and can be sliced, like a good dried salami. The chorizo makes a huge difference in how this comes out. I ordered some Spanish chorizo at a somewhat ridiculous price though it was not the best, (the best was even more prohibitive). If you live somewhere with great air-dried chorizo available, I encourage you to try this recipe. The chorizo was the meat in the meal when I ate this in Guatemala, but can be made with less chorizo, only to give good flavor.

Piloyes con Chorizo (Runner Beans with Chorizo)

Makes a large pot

Piloyes con Chorizo, with avocado

1 pound large runner beans, soaked overnight
1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Water to cover (about 8 cups)
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
chorizo, as desired (mine was 11.5 ounces)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 - 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
salt, if needed

Wash, and sort the beans and soak in water to cover by at least 2 inches overnight. Place the beans in a large pot with the thyme and bay leaf and cook, with about 8 cups of fresh water, for about 1 or 2 hours, until beginning to get cooked. Add in the tomato paste and the chorizo, sliced as desired and continue cooking until the beans are tender.

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until at least tender, or at most deep golden, and then add them in with the beans and simmer for another 15 to 30 minutes to meld flavors. 

When I made these, I added no salt at all during cooking, and when I tasted the finished beans, they did not need salt, probably due to the chorizo. Add salt at your own discretion.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.