Fabada Asturiana

Steps

1. 1
   Soak the beans overnight in cold water, then drain.
2. 2
   Put the beans in a wide pot with the pork belly, chorizo, morcilla, onion, garlic and oil and pour over 2 litres of the cold water — enough to cover by 2 cm.
3. 3
   Bring slowly to the boil over medium heat, skimming off the foam.
4. 4
   Crumble the saffron into a spoonful of the hot liquid and add it with the paprika, then lower the heat and keep at the gentlest simmer, half-covered, for 2 hours 30 minutes.
5. 5
   Never stir — shake the pot gently instead — and every 30 minutes add a splash of the remaining cold water to check the boil; this keeps the bean skins whole.
6. 6
   After 1 hour 30 minutes lift out the morcilla so it doesn't burst, and return it for the last 10 minutes.
7. 7
   When the beans are creamy right through, remove the onion, taste and only now add salt — the meats are salty — then rest off the heat for 30 minutes.
8. 8
   Slice the meats and serve them on a separate plate, with the beans and their thick broth in deep bowls.