Smoked Haddock and Cannellini Beans
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA EXPRESSIntroduction
This is one of my most regular standbys, and the speediest. You just heat up some smoked haddock in a frying pan/skillet with some water and aromatics, then get a couple of cans or a jar of beans, heat them up with a little oil, flake the fish through the beans and, finally, scatter over some parsley and, should you have some to hand, chives. As simple as this is, you could indeed simplify further, using just water alone to poach the smoked haddock, making sure you season well with pepper as you gently mix the dish together.
This is one of my most regular standbys, and the speediest. You just heat up some smoked haddock in a frying pan/skillet with some water and aromatics, then get a couple of cans or a jar of beans, heat them up with a little oil, flake the fish through the beans and, finally, scatter over some parsley and, should you have some to hand, chives. As simple as this is, you could indeed simplify further, using just water alone to poach the smoked haddock, making sure you season well with pepper as you gently mix the dish together.
Ingredients
Serves: 2-3
- 350 grams smoked haddock fillets
- 1 small sprig fresh parsley (including stalks)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 stick celery
- 80 millilitres white wine
- 2 x 400 grams canned cannellini beans or butter beans
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed rapeseed oil (such as Mellow Yellow)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (optional)
- Maldon sea salt flakes (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- 12 ounces smoked haddock fillets
- 1 small sprig fresh parsley (including stalks)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 stick celery
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 2 x 14 ounces canned cannellini beans or butter beans
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed rapeseed oil (such as Mellow Yellow)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (optional)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Method
- Lay the fish fillets in a large frying pan with the sprig of parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns and celery stalk. Pour in 375ml/1⅔ cups of water and the wine and bring to the boil.
- Cover the pan with foil and simmer the fish in the poaching liquid for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Take off the heat and remove the fish, wrapping the pieces in foil to keep warm.
- Tip out all but about 60ml / ¼-½ cup of the poaching liquid from the pan. (The amount depends on the depth of your pan. You will need just enough to warm through the beans.)
- Drain the canned beans, rinsing them in a sieve or colander to get rid of any gloopiness, and add to the pan. Warm them in the poaching liquid for about 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and place the fish on top of the beans in the pan. Add the oil, most of the parsley and the chives, if you're using them, stirring everything together and breaking up the fish as you go.
- Check the seasoning and turn out into a couple of bowls or onto plates, sprinkle with a last bit of parsley and eat, with relish.
- Lay the fish fillets in a large frying pan with the sprig of parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns and celery stalk. Pour in 375ml/1⅔ cups of water and the wine and bring to the boil.
- Cover the pan with foil and simmer the fish in the poaching liquid for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Take off the heat and remove the fish, wrapping the pieces in foil to keep warm.
- Tip out all but about 60ml / ¼-½ cup of the poaching liquid from the pan. (The amount depends on the depth of your pan. You will need just enough to warm through the beans.)
- Drain the canned beans, rinsing them in a sieve or colander to get rid of any gloopiness, and add to the pan. Warm them in the poaching liquid for about 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and place the fish on top of the beans in the pan. Add the oil, most of the parsley and the chives, if you're using them, stirring everything together and breaking up the fish as you go.
- Check the seasoning and turn out into a couple of bowls or onto plates, sprinkle with a last bit of parsley and eat, with relish.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Eat cold.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Eat cold.
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What 3 Others have said
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Posted by Birdums on 18th May 2017
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Posted by JanetN on 18th September 2015
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Posted by Jessicamol on 26th April 2015
Show more commentsThis is a fantastic dish. What's marvellous about it is that's it quick and adaptable. I didn't have smoked cod, only unsmoked. I didn't have peppercorns, used cloves. I didn't have parseley used thyme and I didn't have cannellini beans only a tin of butter beans. The result, a comforting, aromatic warm dish, perfect for a rainy day.
Oh, this is a winner...easy, one pot ( not much washing up) quick and delicious, Thank you Nigella.
Bit of lemon juice added at the end works very well!