BUTTERBEANS WITH SPINACH, TARRAGON, BACON& CREAM

Use streaky bacon for this recipe. Thinly sliced it will exude its fat into the butter as it cooks and crisps in the pan. You could use pancetta if you prefer. You must then absolutely make use of this bacon fat to marble and dress the creamy tarragon beans. It will boost the seasoning and give more pep to the finished dish.

SERVES 4

● 30g unsalted butter

● 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (plus another whole clove for the toast)

● 200ml double cream

● 2 x 400g cans of butter or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

● Big pinch of ground nutmeg

● 100g baby spinach leaves

● ¼ small bunch of tarragon, leaves picked and chopped

● 6 rashers of streaky bacon or pancetta, cut into lardon cubes

● Salt and freshly ground black pepper

● 4 slices of good bread, toasted and then rubbed with garlic, to serve

● Juice of ½ lemon (optional), to serve

1. Melt half the butter in a medium saucepan over a moderate heat and add the chopped garlic. Fry for 2 minutes, until the garlic is just beginning to turn golden brown. Add the cream, beans and nutmeg, stirring to combine. Season well with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. When the mixture begins to bubble up, reduce the heat to moderate–low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 5 minutes, until the cream has thickened a little.

2. Add the spinach and cook for 2–3 minutes, until just wilted, then add the tarragon and mix well. If you would like the mixture to be more stew-like, then mash up some of the beans using a fork for a thicker consistency to the sauce.

3. In a frying pan, melt the remaining butter over a moderate heat. Add the bacon and fry for 3–5 minutes, until beautifully crisp and golden.

4. To serve, put a slice of toast on each plate, add the beans and top with the bacon, including any of the molten, buttery bacon fat from the frying pan. Lots of black pepper is good; you might also like to add a little lemon juice to the beans to help bring out the flavours.