Michirones Murcianos

Michirones Murcianos are Murcia's dried fava bean stew, not a green broad-bean dish and not a northern bean pot. The beans are old dry habas, soaked a full day, then cooked with a jamón bone, chorizo, panceta, bay, pimentón de Murcia, and a guindilla until they sit barely soupy in the cazuela de barro. It is cocina de cuchara, spoon food, but with enough bite that bread has work to do.

The method that decides it is the soak. Twenty-four hours, plenty of cold water, and one change of water if your kitchen is warm. Rush that and the bean punishes you: skins torn, centers chalky, broth cloudy. Start the pot cold, simmer gently, and salt late because the cured pork brings its own salt. Pésalo, no lo adivines.

If you're far from Murcia, buy whole dried fava beans from a Middle Eastern or Italian shop, not peeled split favas unless you accept a softer, thicker pot. A prosciutto end or cured ham hock can stand in for the jamón bone. Portuguese chouriço is closer than a fresh loose sausage if Spanish cooking chorizo is missing. Pimentón de Murcia is sweet and round, so smoked paprika will pull the pot in a different direction.

Serve it in barro with a guindilla and bread. My Margin says, "wait ten minutes before serving," because the broth tightens and the red oil comes up at the edge. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.