Catalan recipes: Habas a la Catalana

Catalan cuisine is composed by many intricate and delicious dishes. If you have tasted and are a fan of Catalan food, perhaps you would like to try preparing one of the traditional Catalan dishes, like Habas a la Catalana.

To prepare Habas a la Catalana you will need:

• 1200g of small fava beans
• 200g of smoked bacon
• 1 Butifarra (black butifarra)
• 1 Spring onion
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 Spoonful of lard
• 1 dash of mint
• 1 dash of thyme
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 glass of white wine
• Olive oil
• Salt

The recipe, step by step

Start by peeling and washing the onions and the garlic. Cut them separately in very small pieces.

Choose a good casserole and pour a small amount of olive oil in it. When the oil is good and hot, add the butter.

Chop the bacon and throw it in the casserole. When the meat has changed colors, add the onion, and finally the garlic which should become golden while you stir the mix.

Now you need to wash the tomatoes and peel them, saving the peel for later. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.

The next step is to chop the butifarra into slices that should be one centimeter thick.

When the mix in the casserole shows a good color, add the chopped tomatoes and just a dash of sugar to contrast with the tomatoes acidity. Add the herbs and the butifarra slices, stir frying in low heat.

Now it’s time to add the fava beans. Stir the mix until the tomatoes are well cooked, then add the small glass of white wine.

Cover the fava beans with water. The water should reach two to three fingers over the fava beans.

Add salt and pepper to your liking and let the mix cook in low heat for at least one hour or until the fava beans are nice and soft. If the water is evaporating and the fava beans are not yet cooked, add some hot water.

Don’t forget to stir the mix from time to time to avoid the fava beans sticking to the bottom of the casserole and getting completely burnt.

Habas a la Catalana are usually served very hot, inside a clay casserole dish.

Habas a la Catalana can be accompanied by a strong white wine.

If you would like to try habas a la catalana before preparing them at home,visit any of the excelent Catalan restaurants in Barcelona.

Related article: The Catalan cream, a sweet tradition