Cod with haricot beans and basil

Serves 4

— 50g fresh basil, plus extra

to garnish

— 200g butter, at room

temperature

— olive oil, for frying

— 1 shallot, finely diced — 1 garlic clove, finely diced — 300g haricot beans

(soaked for 24 hours) — 500ml chicken stock

— 4 x 200g cod fillets

Plunge the basil into salted boiling water to blanch, then remove immediately and place in iced water to keep its colour. Once cold, remove the basil and squeeze out any excess water.

Place the butter in a food processor with the basil and purée until you have a vibrant green colour. Set aside.

Heat a dash of olive oil in a pan and sweat the shallot and garlic for a couple of minutes, or until the shallot turns translucent.

Add the drained beans to the pan and stir to warm them through, then add the stock. Cook uncovered until the beans are soft, 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat the skin of the fish pieces dry with kitchen paper and season well on both sides.

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7.

Place a heavy-bottomed, ovenproof pan on the hob to heat. Add the fish skin-side down to the hot pan and cook without moving the fillets until the skin is crispy, 3-4 minutes depending on their size. Transfer the pan to the oven to cook for 4-5 minutes, making sure the skin doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven and check the fish is cooked.

With the beans still warm, add the basil butter to the pan over a low heat, stirring quickly so as not to lose the vibrant green colour. Serve in bowls with the cod fillets on top. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.