Spanish Judiones with Chorizo

From the garden

• 1 lb dried runner bean seeds, shelled from fully dry pods · the big mottled or white seeds sold as judiones or ayocotes
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

From the pantry

• 8 oz Spanish chorizo, cut into thick coins
• 2 tsp smoked paprika · sweet, not hot, unless the pot wants heat
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 crusty bread (optional) · for the broth
• salt · to taste, added at the end
• black pepper

1. Cover the dried beans with plenty of cold water the night before, at least 12 hours for seeds this size, then drain them and throw the soaking water away.
2. Put the drained beans in a heavy pot with the bay leaves and fresh cold water by two inches, bring to a hard rolling boil, and hold that full boil for 10 minutes before dropping the heat. Runner bean seeds carry the same lectin as kidney beans, so a gentle simmer alone, and a slow cooker on its own, will not make them safe.
3. Simmer very gently, half covered, for 90 minutes to 2 hours, skimming the foam in the first few minutes and topping up with a splash of cold water whenever the beans threaten to break their skins. Leave the salt out until they are tender, since salting early keeps the skins tough.
4. Heat the olive oil in a skillet meanwhile and fry the chorizo coins over medium heat 3 minutes, until the fat runs red. Add the onion and cook 8 minutes until soft, stir in the garlic for a minute, then pull the pan off the heat and stir in the smoked paprika so it blooms without scorching.
5. Scrape the whole skillet into the beans and simmer another 25 to 30 minutes, until the broth thickens and takes on the color of the paprika and a bean crushed against the side of the pot is completely creamy through the middle.
6. Fish out the bay leaves, season now with salt and pepper, and let the pot stand 10 minutes off the heat. Scatter the parsley over and serve in bowls with bread for the broth.