Surely you have heard the word compango –compangu in Asturias – and you know it refers to the tackle or arrangements of meat necessary to make a good bean stew. Today we are going to tell you what the Asturian compango consists of, how to distinguish the good one from the one that is not and, incidentally, we will explain in which recipes you can use it beyond the bean stew.
In principle, the word compango derives from the Latin companigus and it is a way of calling the foods eaten with breadwhich refers in the case at hand, to the tripe that we find in the fabada, that is, the Asturian chorizo, the Asturian black pudding, the bacon and the lacón.
The package The usual compango that we find in shops includes chorizo, black pudding, bacon and/or lacón, sometimes accompanied by Asturian beans from the Denomination of Origin. Sadly, all that glitters is not gold and sometimes neither the beans nor the meat products are Asturian. So today we will explain what should the compango have, and how to distinguish the one that is good from the one that is not.
The peculiarities of the Asturian compango and how to distinguish the good compango from the one that is not
The compango is very important since in addition to proteins and fats, provides the characteristic flavor and color to the stews or stews in which it intervenes, and its peculiar slightly smoky touch. To distinguish a good compango, look on the label to see if it is of Asturian origin. So you will find the following particularities in each of the ingredients that compose it.
a) The blood sausage must be black and smoked
The Asturian compango black pudding is from a intense black color especially after cooking because when raw it has a reddish-brown color. It must also be naturally smoked with noble woods, mainly oak, a peculiar characteristic of this type of product from the north of Spain.
PACK FOR ASTURIANA FABADA (1KG OF ASTURIANA FABA PGI AND 700GRS ASTURIANO COMPANGO)
The authentic Asturian black pudding is a meat product made with bacon and pork fat, onion, blood, salt, spices and paprika, which after a process of maturation and drying using the smoking technique is ready for use In general, it is added at the end of cooking when the fabada, because its skin can break and it would crumble inside.
b) The Asturian chorizo is also smoked and has an intense red color
As with blood sausage, the flavor of Asturian chorizo is also smoked. Its flavor is intense and powerful, and the same happens with its color, which is very vivid.. The authentic Asturian chorizo is made with a mixture of minced or chopped pork and beef, seasoned with salt, paprika and other spices.
The incorporation of the chorizo into the fabada is usually done at the beginning together with the bacon and the fabasor after the first hour of cooking the legumes, but it is always cooked much longer than the black pudding.
c) The pancetta or bacon must have a grain of meat
It is another essential element in the compango and consists of streaky bacon that, if it comes salty, is usually soak with the fabas the day before or if it comes with paprikait is cooked together with the chorizos.
The pork must be meaty, and have a bit of bone
Not all the compangos that we find in the packs of the trade have lacón, but in my opinion this item is also required to make a good stew. For maximum quality, the lacón must be meaty, and contain a bit of bone.
In which recipes can you use Asturian compango?
Although when we pronounce the word compango the bean stew recipe invariably comes to mind, this meat preparation is also part of other recipes such as Asturian stew, Lebaniego stew, mountain stew and Borona stew.
In addition, it lends a very good flavor if it is used in other recipes such as that of the Judiones de la Granja with its sacraments, the Tolosa beans or the white beans, beans or beans with chorizo, which win if this is a good Asturian smoked chorizo.
1. Bean stew
Its about most characteristic dish of Asturias and it is made with the typical Asturian beans and the compango, it being customary to serve the compango separately so that each person can serve himself as he eats. You can make the fabada in the traditional way, or using a speed cooker to have a good bean stew in less than 30 minutes.
2. The Asturian pot
In addition to fabas, the recipe for the Asturian stew or stew incorporate cabbage and potatoes together with the compango or set of sausages. This is a dish that has many variations in the Principality, as there are even areas where chestnuts are usually added to the original recipe along with the potatoes.
3. The typical Lebanese stew in Cantabria
A stew that has certain resemblance to the Madrid stew, since it is made with chickpeas and not with fabas or beans. In addition, it is also served in different turns since, on the one hand, you eat the soup and on the other the chickpeas, served with the cabbage and the compango.
4. The mountain stew
For this other variety of stew with compango, we are also located in Cantabria. The mountain stew takes white beans, cabbage, chorizo, rib, black pudding, bacon and if it is made with Asturian compango, it has a delicious smoky flavor that works very well. Here you can see our mountain stew recipe to learn how to do it.
5. La Borona
The boroña is another traditional dish from Asturias that is also made in Cantabria in which the compango is used. It’s about a cornbread, stuffed with chorizo and rib, which is baked wrapped in collard greens. It is a traditional recipe that is usually made at festive times.
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