Oh, glorious monkfish! The joy I feel when I see you with a good 75% reduction at the deli counter. I just had 1 fillet knocking about in the freezer that I picked up for about a quid recently, and really fancied something both comforting but not too heavy. This bean stew is easy, filling, delicious and super healthy.

Beans make a great base of delicious, nutrient packed complex carbohydrates, which can easily be added to with a range of ingredients to create wholesome, filling and tasty dishes. For this I made a bean and chorizo stew, and added the fish in at the last minute to poach. I served it with lightly steamed green beans. You could also add a good hunk of crust bread (and good salty butter, of course) if you feel it’s a bit light on the carbs. This served 2 with leftovers.

Ingredients

1 large onion
Handful of garlic cloves, I used about half a bulb
1/3 of a stick of chorizo
2 cans of beans. I used cannellini and butter beans. Generally softer beans that will break down as they cook are good for this dish.
1 glass of white wine
1 fillet of monkfish
Fish stock
Salt & pepper

Method

1. Finely dice onion and saute in a large pan until brown. Add Garlic and chorizo. Cook for a further few minutes until the garlic is browning and the chorizo starts to crisp on the outside.

2. Add 2 cans of beans (drained). Reduce the heat and slow cook the beans, adding stock and white wine to keep the stew from drying out. You will probably want to keep it simmering at a low heat for about 30 minutes until the beans start to soften and break down. Season the stew as you go.

3. Once the beans are cooked through, add your diced monkfish. (Remember to remove the grey membrane from the outside of the fillet before you cook it). I simmered the fish for a couple of minutes, then put the lid on the pan and turned the heat off.

4. Serve with a slice of lemon and a sprig of parsley.