Pan-Fried Hake, White Bean & Chorizo Broth

Ingredients

• 450g dried white beans, such as haricot or cannellini, soaked overnight in water
• 4 garlic cloves, 3 left whole, 1 crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp thyme leaf, chopped, plus extra to serve
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 100g good white bread, diced
• 100g cooking chorizo, skinned and chopped into small chunks
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 tsp paprika
• 1l chicken stock
• small handful parsley, chopped
• 6 hake fillets, about 125g/5oz each

Preparation

Serves 6

1. Drain the beans, then tip into a large pan with 2 litres of water. Simmer with the whole garlic cloves, bay leaves and thyme for 30 mins or until cooked and tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the bread with the remaining garlic clove. When golden and crisp, scoop out and drain on kitchen paper. Add the chorizo to the pan, fry until crisp, tip out and keep warm with the bread.
3. Add another 2 tbsp oil and the onion to the pan, and cook for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the paprika. Drain the beans and add to the onions with the chicken stock and 2 tsp salt. Cook for 5-10 mins. Stir through the parsley and keep warm.
4. Season the hake and heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in the frying pan. Put the hake, skin-side down, in the pan and cook for 3-5 mins over a mediumhigh heat to crisp up the skin. Flip the fish over and cook for a further 3-5 mins until cooked through. Spoon the white bean mix into bowls, place the hake on top and finish with the fried bread, chorizo and a little more thyme.