Fabada
Asturian fabada, or simply fabada, is the traditional dish of Asturian cuisine made with Asturian faba (in Asturian, fabes), Sausages such as chorizo and Asturian black pudding, and with pork. It is the typical dish of Asturias (the best-known regional dish in the Asturian region), but its diffusion is so great in the Iberian Peninsula that it is part of the most recognized gastronomy of Spain. According to certain authors, it is considered one of the ten typical recipes of Spanish cuisine. It is a winter dish with a high volume of calories and fat that is served hot at noon (lunch),. Fabada probably began to be consumed in Asturias from the XVI century, although no written references to it can be found until the XIX, in different press releases from a Gijón newspaper in which it is mentioned as a popular Asturian dish.
History of Fabada
Consumption of "fabes" In Asturias it dates back to the XVI century, in which it is known with certainty that they were planted in the territory and consumed. The variety used in fabada is called "from the Farm", it is a soft and buttery variety appropriate for this dish. The cultivation of this variety occupies about 2500 hectares in Asturias. The ingredients of the fabada recipe reveal a humble origin. Scholars think that he may have been born in the 18th century although there is no evidence to support this. Despite the fact that fabas are a purely rural ingredient, the belief that fabada is born in cities is maintained. There are no literary written references to fabas in any of the works of the time. One of the best known: La Regenta, does not mention it despite making an exhaustive description of the customs of the region. Other authors mention its resemblance to the Languedoc cassoulet from French cuisine that could have arrived in Spain thanks to the Camino de Santiago via the French route in the Middle Ages.
The first written reference to fabada appears in the Asturian newspaper from Gijón El Comercio in 1884 but does not mention the recipe. Later appearances in Asturian culinary literature associate the dish with the Asturian stew, authors such as Armando Palacio Valdés when describing the characteristics of Asturian shepherds in his work "Pastoral Symphony" (1931) does not mention the dish. According to the research of different experts, fabada was born in an undetermined period between the XIX century and xx. Some authors lean more towards the XX century. Today, however, it is already a well-known dish, not only in Asturias but throughout the Spanish territory. Recipes appear in the literature of the beginning of the century.
Asturian emigrants around the world realized this dish in other places, in this way there are variants of this dish in some places, such as in the areas near the US city of Tampa.
In Colombia, the bandeja paisa is a Creole adaptation of the fabada, replacing the fabas with red ball beans (soaked for 12 to 16 hours) cooked with pork leg, onion, garlic and salt, accompanied by chorizo, pork rinds, cooked ground beef, fried egg, sliced avocado and white rice.
Features
The way to cook this dish is simple, although not easy. There are factors that can spoil its preparation such as poor desalting of meats, cooking over high heat, the use of unsuitable ingredients and even the characteristics of the cooking water. There are references that mention fabada as a popular dish, affordable for a small price.
The bean
Fabada is made with dried white beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) soaked for several hours before cooking. There are many Asturian varieties, however some varieties such as "Asturian faba" They have a designation of origin with which close to 300 producers are regulated. In Spain, the faba is erroneously associated with the "judión de la Granja", although it has nothing to do with the "fabas de la granja" that are cultivated in Asturias. It is marketed dry and must be soaked in cold water, just enough to cover it, a few hours before being cooked (ideally the day before at night). As a mnemonic rule, Asturias is cold, from the north (of Spain), then cold water is added to the beans, while the chickpeas are from León, to the south (of Asturias), with a hot climate in summer, then they are poured Hot water.
Cooking lasts between five and eight hours depending on the variety and age of the faba, it must be with the lid halfway on, the cooking must be gentle, non-violent, and the boil must be broken with small amounts of water cold (this operation is said to "scare" or that "plasma" the beans). During cooking, the beans must not be stirred with any instrument, it is enough to move the pot periodically (a quarter of an hour is enough). Well-cooked beans are noted for being tender (tiernes) and whole (enteres) and above all that the skin or cuticle that surrounds them is not noticeable. From a nutritional point of view, beans provide fiber and carbohydrates.
The gang
The beans are accompanied by other meat ingredients from pork such as bacon (which must be from the jowl area), chorizo (it usually has a small amount of beef), blood sausage from Asturias (with a slightly smoked flavor), pork shoulder, ribs, ear or tail. All these sausages and salted meats (Salted bacon) are known by the name compango. All of them products of the slaughter of the pig. They have a slightly smoky aroma. Spices such as saffron are usually added, which give the broth an orange color, and characteristic aromas, as well as bay leaves. According to the experts, well-cooked beans are buttery on the palate; in no case should beans be broken after cooking or mashed.
Preparation
It is a slow-cooking dish that can take several hours to prepare if done traditionally. The beans are cooked for two hours (with a whole onion that is then thrown away), always covered with water, and in the final stage the compango is added. You have to remember that the beans increase in size when cooked and that they should never be stirred with a spoon (as they would break). The fabada broth must be mixed, sometimes some beans are broken to provide enough starch, it must have a reddish/yellowish color due to the greasy paprika/saffron solution. Fabada purists shun the addition of spices like bay leaves, garlic, and meats other than pork.
Serve
It is a dish that according to popular wisdom: "tastes better the next day" to have cooked it. It is usually served on a plate or in a clay pot with the pieces of cooked compango served separately on a platter. Due to its content it is a unique dish. There is a dispute among the followers of this dish about the drink with which it should be accompanied, some mention cider by tradition, others beer and some mention wine. The truth is that there is no drink unanimously approved by all. After ingesting it, it must be known that beans are the cause of gastroesophageal reflux, they can be relieved with any suitable medication to combat stomach heaviness (in no case bicarbonate, it causes effluvia).
Similar dishes
In Mexico, there are two types of dishes that are very similar to the Asturian fabada. One of them are known as charro beans. But perhaps the closest thing to Asturian fabada are patoles, a recipe that has been consumed in the Mexican states of Durango, Sinaloa and Chihuahua since pre-Hispanic times. It is a dish that dates back to pre-Hispanic times. It is very likely that fabada was brought to Spain by families known as Indianos. Although the recipe as it is currently known, was developed in the viceroyalty by former cowboys from the north of the country, also known as Charros, from which its name comes; they developed the dish, since living in arid zones they only had grains and strings of chili peppers and garlic, sausages and offal in general that came from their profession; Its typical ingredients are pinto or Peruvian beans, bacon, chorizo, sometimes sausage or rib, dried or pickled chili peppers, tomato, onion, garlic and herbs; Charro beans, like cassoulet, are usually cooked and served in clay utensils, although the former is a soupier dish. In Brazil, a comparable dish, but which uses black beans and local meat, is feijoada. Another similar dish, this French one, is the Languedoc cassoulet. For its part, in Chile there is a similar dish called beans, that can be accompanied by mote de trigo (beans with mote) or noodles or spaghetti (beans with reins)..
Packed fabada
Since the middle of the XX century, fabada has been packaged in metal cans. It has been possible to demonstrate that the canned product retains its organoleptic properties intact. There are numerous brands that sell it and it is not uncommon to find them in supermarkets in Spain.
Conferences and gastronomic contests
Asturian Faba Contest
Held in Grado (Asturias) and framed with the celebrations of the fiestas and traditional markets of first and second flower (April or May).
This is the first and only contest in Asturias for the Asturian Faba Denomination of Origin. Held in collaboration with the Asturian Faba Denomination of Origin Regulatory Council and includes the annual and official awards of the regulatory council. Celebrated for the first time in 2008, with a popular tasting in 2009 and other events in other editions. In 2015, in its eighth edition, there was a popular tasting prepared by a catering school with recipes using faba.
Gastronomic Days of Fabada, Fabes and Verdinas
Held in Llanes.
Conferences of His Excellency, Fabada
The Conference of His Excellency La Fabada has been held in La Felguera since 1980 in December. /i> to a relevant character in the gastronomic or cultural aspect. On Saturday the provincial contest is held in various categories. During the 3 days of the conference, the restaurants in the area serve special menus that include fabada, as well as other musical activities.
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