Main course Mediterranean-inspired
Borlotti bean and white fish stew with kale
Meat & fish
Editorially prepared
Tender cod gently cooked in tomato sauce with creamy borlotti beans, kale and rosemary. A substantial one-pot meal ready in about 45 minutes.
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Ingredients
2 servings · metric units
For more servings, use a wider pan or two pans so the fish fits in a single layer. Do not multiply the fish cooking time by the number of servings; judge by thickness and doneness. Preparing a larger quantity and bringing the sauce to a simmer will take longer.
Substitutions
Substitute amounts are adjusted to your selected servings.
- Instead of tinned borlotti beans, drainedtinned cannellini beans, drained
Use the same drained weight. Cannellini beans are milder and less nutty; add them at the same stage and stir gently.
- Instead of skinless, boneless cod filletskinless, boneless Alaska pollock fillet
Use the same weight of fully defrosted, patted-dry fish. Check thinner fillets after 5 minutes of simmering; they break up more easily.
Shopping for this recipe
Your list uses the selected servings and fridge. Stock quantities are unknown — check you have enough.
Optional ingredients and substitutions
You’ll need
Wide, heavy-based saucepan with a lid, about 24 cm across · Chopping board and knife · Sieve · Kitchen scales and measuring jug · Spoon and wide fish slice · Food thermometer · Two deep bowls
Method
0/6 stepsPrepare the ingredients
Peel the onion and garlic. Finely dice the onion and thinly slice the garlic. Wash the kale, remove any tough ribs and slice the leaves into thin ribbons. Chop the rosemary leaves. Rinse and drain the beans and measure the remaining ingredients. Pat the fish dry, check for bones and divide into equal portions, one per person. Keep it in the fridge until needed. Allow about 11 minutes for preparation.
Prepare the ingredients Soften the onion
Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan over a medium heat for about a minute. Add the onion and cook for 7–9 minutes from adding it, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent but not deeply browned. If it is still firm, cook a little longer over a lower heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and stir for about a minute until fragrant, without letting the garlic brown.
Soften the onion Reduce the tomato sauce
Add the tomatoes with their juice and the stock. Stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, and bring to a gentle simmer; allow about 3 minutes. From this point, simmer uncovered for 5–7 minutes, stirring during cooking. The sauce should thicken slightly but remain fluid around the tomato pieces. If it is still watery, simmer a little longer before adding the beans.
05:00Reduce the tomato sauce Simmer the beans and kale
Add the beans and kale. Stir gently to submerge the leaves and return to a gentle simmer; allow about 2 minutes. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 4–6 minutes from returning to a simmer. Stir towards the end and check the leaves: they should be wilted and almost tender, with no tough, fibrous ribbons. If they are still tough, simmer for a few more minutes before adding the fish.
04:00Simmer the beans and kale Gently cook the fish
Arrange the fish in a single layer over the beans and gently press it into the sauce. Spoon a little sauce over the top and cover the pan. From covering, simmer over a low heat for about 8–10 minutes, keeping the sauce barely bubbling. Towards the end, check the thickest piece: its centre should reach 63°C, and the flesh should be opaque and separate easily into flakes. If the fish is not ready, cover and check again every 1–2 minutes. Do not stir, as this will break up the fillets.
08:00Gently cook the fish Season and serve
Remove the pan from the heat. Taste the sauce at the edge of the pan and season with salt and pepper. Divide the beans, kale and sauce between deep bowls, then use a wide fish slice to place the fish on top of each portion. Serve immediately.
Season and serve
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Tips
- Slice the kale finely and remove all tough ribs. Older leaves may need a few extra minutes of simmering before the fish is added.
- Do not stir vigorously after adding the fish. Gently shake the pan or spoon sauce over the fillets to keep them intact.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water. It should surround the beans without becoming a thin soup.
Storage
Store only stew containing fully cooked fish. Transfer leftovers to a shallow container, cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours of finishing cooking. Use within 48 hours. Reheat only once, covered, until steaming hot throughout, including the centre of the fish. Stir gently to avoid breaking up the fillets.
Timing
Hands-on: 31 min · Cooking: 32 min
The total allows for tasks done in parallel. The individual times can overlap.
