Faves Ofegades

To Crossfield

This bean soup from Catalunya, adapted by Vázquez Montalbán (and me), is one of my favorite bean dishes.

Ingredients: Thick white beans, large piece of black pudding, bacon, olive oil, an onion, garlic cloves, tomatoes, old dry red wine, dry aniseed schnapps, 1 bunch of herbs made from thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, mint and a small cinnamon stick, tied well with a thin thread, ½ spoonful of sugar or honey, parsley, ground pepper, salt.

Cook fresh beans 10 minutes in advance, canned beans can be used immediately. Dry beans need to be soaked overnight.

In a pot, fry the bacon in olive oil on all sides, remove and set aside. Fry the sliced onion, sliced garlic cloves and the bouquet of herbs in the remaining oil. As soon as the onion begins to brown, add the roughly chopped tomatoes, sauté and then add the white beans. Cover the pot and steam the beans too. Add the old wine, aniseed (not too much!), fried bacon and black pudding. Taste with salt, a little pepper and sugar or honey. If necessary, add water, but only if necessary.

Close the pot by placing aluminum foil or paper under the lid. Let simmer on a low flame. Before serving, remove the bouquet of herbs from the pot. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired and serve hot.