Bold Bean Co

Directions

For the Gratin

1. step 2

   Halve the leeks lengthways, then finely slice into half-moons. Scrape into your largest saucepan. Add the oil from the anchovy jar and a pinch of salt, then cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until collapsed and softened.

2. step 3

   Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic cloves (or finely grate them, if you find it easier). Strip the thyme from their sprigs, or chop the oregano if using.

3. step 4

   Return to the leeks. Add the anchovies to the pan, along with the garlic, fennel seeds and herbs. Cook, smooshing the anchovies with the back of your spoon, until then have ‘melted’ into the leeks, then pour in the white wine.

4. step 5

   Once the wine has bubbled away for a couple of minutes, tip in the butter beans with their bean stock and pour in the cream. Give everything a good mix to combine. Let the beans bubble, still over a medium heat, for around 10 minutes until you have a slightly thickened, creamy stew. You want the sauce to cling to the beans; bear in mind that it won’t thicken under the grill, so get it to your preferred consistency at this stage.

5. step 6

   While the beans are bubbling, finely grate the cheese. Mix half with the breadcrumbs and a good crack of black pepper.

6. step 7

   Stir the lemon zest into the beans, along with the remaining cheese. Once melted, season to taste.

7. step 8

   Preheat your grill to medium.

8. step 9

   Decant the warm stew into an ovenproof baking dish. Top with the cheesy breadcrumbs, then slide under the grill for 5 minutes or until the top is golden.

9. step 10

   Leave to sit for a few minutes before serving with the broccoli and fennel salad, opposite.

For the Shaved Fennel Salad

1. step 12

   Toast the seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until nicely golden, then tip into a small bowl, add the chilli flakes and season.

2. step 13

   Pick the fennel fronds off the fennel and set them aside for later. Next, using a sharp knife, or a mandoline if you find that easier, very finely slice the fennel bulbs.

3. step 14

   Put the sliced fennel into a large serving bowl. Roughly chop the parsley (stalks and all) and add to the bowl, along with the capers and chilli seeds. Zest and juice in the lemon.

4. step 15

   Season to taste and scatter over the fennel fronds, to serve.

For the Broccoli with Charred Lemon Dressing

1. step 17

   For the charred lemon dressing, heat a frying pan over a high heat. Cut the lemons in half and place them, cut-side down, into the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the undersides are blackened, then take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.

2. step 18

   Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the juice from the lemons into a bowl (they should be super jammy). Add the smoked paprika, honey or maple syrup and 5 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir and season the dressing to taste.

3. step 19

   Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cut the broccoli pieces in half lengthways.

4. step 20

   Once the water is boiling, drop in the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes (depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in batches), then drain and leave to cool. If you have a wire rack, spread out the cooked broccoli on the rack to cool - this will help it steam dry and stay super green.

5. step 21

   When you’re ready to eat, heat a large frying pan over a super-high heat - you want it raging. Working in batches, drizzle the broccoli with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, season well, then lay cut-side down in the pan. fry for 2-3 minutes until the underside is nicely charred, then transfer to a serving platter. repeat with all the broccoli.

6. step 22

   Pour the dressing over the hot broccoli, then strip the herbs off their sprigs and scatter over the top, to serve. Banging.