BEAN THERE, DONE THAT
Beans, booze, and a hell of a lot of flavor—veggies never saw this fucking storm coming.
SPAIN'S NORTH KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT HEARTY, NO-NONSENSE FOOD, AND ASTURIAS’ LEGENDARY “FABES” (BEANS) ARE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. THESE THICK-SKINNED BEAUTIES SOAK UP EVERY DROP OF FLAVOR, PERFECT FOR CHILLY DAYS AND A COZY BOWL. HERE, I’VE STEERED THESE BEANS INTO A SMOKY, PAPRIKA-INFUSED STEW WITH A BLEND OF EARTHY MUSHROOMS, WHICH ADDS A DEPTH THAT’S AS RUGGED AS THE MOUNTAINS THEY COME FROM. A NOD TO SPANISH TRADITION, THIS DISH TAKES CLASSIC ASTURIAS COMFORT AND CRANKS IT UP. IT’S FUCKING WILD, A BIT EARTHY, AND ALL KINDS OF GOOD. PAIR IT WITH A STRONG DRINK, WRAP UP, AND PREPARE TO QUESTION WHY YOU EVER DOUBTED VEGGIES…OR BEANS… OR WHATEVER.
FEEDS 4 II TIME: 2H + SOAKING THE BEANS THE DAY BEFORE
DIFFICULTY: IT PRACTICALLY COOKS ITSELF
INGREDIENTS
500 g dried Asturian white beans (alubias), soaked overnight
200 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped
100 g brown button mushrooms (champignons), chopped
25 g dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated (reserve the soaking liquid for broth)
1 small red capsicum, finely diced
1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
2 small onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, one whole and one finely chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (pimentón)
A splash of dry wine
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Shallots, thinly sliced, for garnish
Salt, to taste
GET COOKING
Soak the white beans in cold water for at least 12 hours; they should nearly double in size.
To begin the sofrito, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the diced onions, capsicum, and tomato, stirring occasionally, until softened and well-blended. Add the smoked paprika (pimentón) and stir for another minute to release its aroma. Pour in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and stir until well combined.
Add the beans to the sofrito mixture together with the water. Make sure you have enough liquid, about 2cm above the beans. Stir them and bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally, and add more water as needed to keep the beans submerged.
In a separate skillet, sauté the fresh mushrooms and shallots over high heat until browned, adding a splash of sherry to deglaze the pan. Save some for decoration and add the rest to the simmering beans for the final 15-20 minutes of cooking, allowing the flavors to blend as the beans finish cooking.
Once the beans are tender, serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley, mushrooms, shallots and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
Fuck yeah! Enjoy!
