Today we're heading to Spain for two iconic dishes that capture the soul of this country. The first is a hearty, warming legacy of Asturias, the second a crispy classic from every tapas bar from Barcelona to Seville.
🍲 Fabada Asturiana
Traditional Asturian stew made with large white beans, smoked sausages, and pork delicacies. Thick, rich, with a smoky aroma—the quintessence of northern Spanish cuisine.
Ingredients:
• Fabes beans (or large white beans) — 500 g
• Chorizo (smoked pork sausage) — 200 g
• Morcilla (blood sausage) — 150 g
• Smoked pork rib or belly — 300 g
• Pork hock — 1 piece (about 400 g)
• Onion — 1 large head
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Bay leaf — 2 pieces
• Saffron — pinch (or sweet paprika — 1 tsp)
• Extra Virgin olive oil — 3 tbsp
• Salt — to taste
• Water — about 2 liters
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the beans
Soak the beans in cold water for at least 12 hours (better overnight). Water should be 3 times the volume of the beans. In the morning drain the water, rinse the beans under running water until the draining liquid is completely clear.
Step 2. Initial cooking of meat components
In a large pot (minimum 4 liters) place the pork hock and smoked rib. Cover with cold water so it covers the meat by 3-4 cm. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drain all the water completely—this removes excess salt and impurities. Rinse the meat under warm water.
Step 3. Main cooking
Return the meat to a clean pot, add the rinsed beans, whole peeled onion, garlic cloves crushed with the flat side of a knife, bay leaf. Pour in 2 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to minimum—the surface should barely tremble, without active bubbling. Cook covered for 1.5 hours. Criterion: beans should start to soften but still hold their shape.
Step 4. Adding sausages
Cut chorizo and morcilla into thick slices 2-3 cm each. Carefully submerge them in the pot, trying not to break the beans. Continue cooking over minimum heat for another 45-60 minutes. Readiness criterion: beans completely soft, easily mashed with a fork but not falling apart; meat separates from the bone.
Step 5. Building thickness
With a slotted spoon remove about 100 g of beans, mash them with a fork into puree and return to the pot—this creates the creamy texture of the broth. Dissolve saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot broth from the pot and pour back in (or add paprika). Stir with a wooden spoon from bottom to top so as not to damage the beans.
Step 6. Finalization
Remove the hock and smoked rib, separate the meat from the bones, cut into large pieces 4×4 cm and return to the pot. Salt to taste (carefully—the sausages are already salty). Pour in the olive oil, stir. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 15 minutes—the dish will reach perfect consistency, the broth will thicken.
Step 7. Serving
Serve fabada in deep ceramic plates, distributing beans, meat, and sausages evenly. Accompany with crusty country bread and a glass of dry cider from Asturias.
💡 Fact: Fabada Asturiana is considered one of the heartiest dishes in Spain—it was traditionally served to miners and peasants to restore their strength. In Asturias there's an unspoken rule: after fabada you don't eat anything until the next morning.
🦑 Calamares a la Romana
Crispy squid rings in light batter, fried to a golden crust. Iconic tapa of Spanish bars—crunchy outside, tender inside, with lemon and sea salt.
Ingredients:
• Fresh or frozen squid (bodies) — 600 g
• Wheat flour — 150 g
• Chicken egg — 2 pieces
• Milk — 50 ml
• Baking powder — 1 tsp
• Sweet paprika — 1 tsp
• Coarse sea salt — 1 tsp + for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper — 0.5 tsp
• Vegetable oil for deep frying — 1 liter
• Lemon — 2 pieces
• Fresh parsley — small bunch
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the squid
If squid are frozen, defrost them in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours. Rinse bodies with cold water, remove the chitinous plate from inside and remaining innards. Remove the outer film by pulling it from the wide edge to the narrow one under running water—it should separate easily. Cut the bodies crosswise into rings exactly 1 cm wide. Pat the rings completely dry with paper towels—moisture will prevent the batter from sticking.
Step 2. Making the batter
In a deep bowl whisk eggs with a whisk until uniform. Add milk, salt, black pepper, and paprika, mix. In a separate bowl combine flour with baking powder, sift through a sieve. Gradually introduce the dry mixture into the egg mixture, whisking in circular motions from center to edges. The batter should have the consistency of liquid sour cream—flows off the spoon in a thick ribbon, not drops. Let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Step 3. Preparing for frying
In a deep skillet or saucepan (diameter minimum 24 cm) pour oil in a layer 4-5 cm. Set over medium heat and heat to 180°C—check with a wooden stick: when submerged, small bubbles should actively rise around it. Place several layers of paper towels on a plate.
Step 4. Frying the squid
In batches of 8-10 rings dip the squid in the bowl with batter, turn with a fork to coat evenly. Take out one ring at a time, let excess batter drip off for 2-3 seconds, and carefully lower into the oil, starting from the near edge (away from you) to avoid splashing. Don't overcrowd the pan—fry maximum 10 rings at once. Fry for 2 minutes on one side until golden-brown crust forms, turn with tongs and fry another 1.5 minutes. Readiness criterion: even golden color, batter puffed up and crispy.
Step 5. Removing and draining
With a slotted spoon carefully remove the cooked rings, letting oil drip over the pan for 5-7 seconds. Place on paper towels in a single layer. After each batch let the oil recover temperature for 30-40 seconds—if you lower a new batch into insufficiently hot oil, the batter will get soggy.
Step 6. Final preparation
When all squid are fried, transfer them to a serving platter lined with a napkin or parchment. Immediately sprinkle with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cut lemons into quarters. Coarsely chop parsley and sprinkle on top for aroma.
Step 7. Serving
Serve calamares immediately while they're maximally crispy. Serve separately with garlic mayonnaise (ali-oli) or just lemon wedges for drizzling. In Spain this dish is eaten with hands, dipping in sauce and washing down with ice-cold beer or white vermouth.
💡 Fact: Calamares a la romana got their name not from ancient Rome but from frying 'a la romana'—the batter-frying technique popularized in Madrid in the 19th century. Today this is the #1 dish in Spanish chiringuitos (beach bars)—over 400 thousand tons of squid are consumed in Spain per year.