Potajes and Cazuelas
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They generally contain a mix of pulses such as garbanzos, ( chick peas) fabas or black beans and lentils. 
They are a cross really between a soup and a casserole and although typically they are served as a first course many are substantial enough to serve as an informal supper accompanied by salad and fresh crusty bread.Fabada or Asturian Bean Stew. This is one of Spain's most famous bean dishes and is a wonderfully hearty dish full of flavour from the Asturias region of Northern Spain. The fabas, the beanswhich give it it's name, are large dry, white beans which cook soft but withoutdisintergrating.If they are not available then you may substitutelimas or butter beans. Ingredients. 500g. fabas 2 morcillas (black pudding) 2 chorizos ( red sausage) 400g. cured pork hand or ham 100g. ham 100g.sreaky salt pork half tsp. saffron 1 bay leave. Method:- Soak the beans overnight in water.Soak the pork hand overnight in hot water. Blanch the salt pork for 5 minutes in boiling water. Wash the sausage. Place the beans in an earthenware casserole dish or other large cooking pot and add about 1 inch water.Bring to the boil and skim off any froth.Toast the saffron in a frying pan,then crush in a mortar, dissolve in a little water and add to the beans.Add the hand of pork, ham and salt pork to the casserole dish pushing them to the bottom of the beans. Cover and cook for 5 mins. skimming again. Then add the chorizo and morcilla and boil for a further 5 mins and skim once more. Add the bay leave.Now cover and cook on a low light for 2-3 hours.Add cold water occasionally to just keep the beans covered so they don't dry out and split. Don't stir but shake the casserole from time to time. When the beans are nice and tender turn off the heat and let sit for 20 minutes to mellow and blend. If there is too much liquid then purée some of the cooked beans in the liquidizer and use them to thicken the casserole.
Cazuela de Lentejas or Lentil Casserole. Ingredients. 500g. Lentils 2lts. Water 50ml olive oil 1 tomato 1 onion cut in quarters 1 green pepper, deseeded 2 large potatoes 200g. spicy pork sausage 1 head of garlic 1 bay leavetbs. salt 2 cloves quarter tsp. cumin quarter tsp. black pepper dash of cayenne salt to taste Method Bring the lentils to the boil, remove from heat and soak for 2 hours.Add the olive oil,tomato,whole green pepper,bay leave, garlic cloves,onion stuck with the cloves and salt.Bring to the boil and simmer for one hour.Crush together in a mortar the cumin,paprika and black pepper. Peel and dice potatoes and add to the pot with the spices. Cut sausages into short pieces and add.Cook for a further 30 minutes until the potatoes are quite tender. Serve with crusty bread. Find more potajes and cazuelas with "Cooking in Spain," by Janet Mendel Searl. This recipe book, that has become something of a classic, is full of excellent and easy to follow mouth watering Spanish dishes plus lots of helpful information about Spanish food in general. Two more recipes for Spanish Bean Stews. Back to Spanish Food and Drink
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