The traditional Asturian fabada follows strict guidelines and is often considered unique, sometimes overlooking the other regional "fabes" richness: the variety of native beans that accompany the queen of regional recipes like supporting stars. Let's take a look. Some of the most popular varieties of Asturian broad beans are: roxa, or colorá (for stewing); verdina (very fashionable, small and green, eaten with baby eels or rabbit, seafood in general, or game dishes); fabones, or May beans; kidney beans (to serve with vegetables); pinta, güeyín, amarillina, granjilla, etc.
Jovellanos, in his Diaries, mentions Asturian beans, demonstrating that, at least since the 18th century, this crop was widespread throughout the Principality, already giving rise to the abundant quantity and quality of varieties we find today. The one most commonly associated with fabada is the Granja or Cura variety . But this bean also offers a wide range of culinary versatility. Besides being used with the famous "compangu" (a selection of meats and sausages) , this large, white, oblong, straight, and flat bean can be eaten with many other flavorful and local ingredients.
Having said that, let's focus on that masterful and specific fabada that brings prestige to Asturian beans in general and their many recipes. Fabada is the quintessential dish, so excellent that it's sometimes not even accompanied by a second course, but rather a digestive dessert. As mentioned, it's made with "fabes de la granja" or "fabes de la manteca," a type of large, soft bean with a very thin skin , so typical of Asturias that, apparently, it doesn't thrive in other parts of Spain. Some call it the "pillow" bean; it has a buttery texture when cooked properly, and soaking it beforehand significantly increases its volume.
Although cultivated throughout the region , those from Luarca, Tineo, Cangas de Narcea, Siero, Colunga, and Villaviciosa have achieved a unique status. The most extensive cultivation is located in the districts of Vegadeo, Oviedo, and Gijón, and to a lesser extent in Grado and Llanes. Farmers' cooperatives appear to be thriving thanks to various initiatives such as the Fabastur Cooperative, the Villaviciosa Bean Growers Association, and the Argüelles Bean Producers Association. It has a protected designation of origin under the name Faba Asturiana , with a parallel Regulatory Council to which more than 300 producers belong, and it goes without saying that, aside from being a scarce variety, it is one of the most sought-after beans on the Spanish market.
Asturian fabada recipe
In Asturias we have an extraordinarily extensive menu: beans with chicken, beans with partridge, or beans with… Read more
Gastronomic Days of Les Fabes
Gastronomic festivals are proliferating around this queen of legumes. Examples include the Bean Cultural Week, celebrated in March in Villaviciosa, or the San Martín Bean Gastronomic Festival, in November in Moreda (Aller); and the Bean Festival in Colunga, which takes place in December and at which a distinguished Asturian is awarded the memorable "Golden Bean."
The cultivation of fabes
Until the mid-1980s, the cultivation of Asturian beans (Faba Asturiana) was of little importance, and like many other agricultural products, its cultivation was primarily for self-consumption . The explosion in its cultivation is more recent, dating back to the mid-1990s, mainly due to the crisis in other agricultural subsectors and the demand for this product from the hospitality industry. The leap from rural culture to restaurant plates has therefore been late, at least in terms of the widespread popularity of high-quality fabada (Asturian bean stew), and it represents the adoption of a long-standing folk tradition in the farmhouses, including the processes involved in preparing the beans, which should not be underestimated. The beans have always been, and continue to be, highly sensitive to rain; their commercialization involves overcoming a significant obstacle against the very climate that sustains them. Around September or October, the clusters of pods are hung in the granary (hórreo) for several months . Once dry, the always meticulous task of shelling begins , a job that in past decades brought together the entire community during the downtime of winter work. Afterward, the beans are left to dry separately, loose and spread out on the ground , and then it's time to sort them and discard any that are infested with insects or stained. The process of making a traditional fabada remains the same today, even though there are fewer hands in the fields and less of a collective spirit in these tasks.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
