Recipe: Butter Bean, Leek, Fennel and Cavolo Nero Stew
WORDS BY CAROLINE GLADSTONE
January is always full of New Year, New You this and that, resolutions that never last beyond the middle of the month, for me at least. I’d much rather focus on hunkering down and leaning into the month that so often brings snow. Reading by the fire, bracing walks on sharp winter days, heading into the rain on a windy day, that sort of thing. And for me, this stew is the perfect end to one of those days: warming, nourishing and delicious, with a balance of aniseedy fennel and sharp lemon. It goes beautifully with simple grilled fish or a roasted chicken breast.
(To give credit where credit is due, the basis of this recipe is from the brilliant Bold Bean Co, I’ve just tweaked it and added my own twist. Thank you Amelia!)
Butter Bean, Leek, Fennel and Cavolo Nero Stew with Pumpkin Seed Gremolata
(serves 6)
4 tbsp olive oil
300g cavolo nero, washed
4 fat garlic cloves, crushed with a pinch of salt
3 tsp fennel seeds
4 medium leeks, roughly sliced
2 large fennel bulbs, halved and sliced lengthways into 6 chunks
2 x 570g jar Queen Butter Beans - with their bean stock
400ml vegetable stock
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt and black pepper
For the pumpkin seed gremolata
100g pumpkin seeds
30g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
6 tbsp olive oil
juice and zest of 1 lemon
sea salt
Start by making the gremolata.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes until they start to pop. Remove from the heat, leave to cool for a couple of minutes and then finely chop half of them. Add the seeds to a bowl with the parsley, olive oil and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Mix to combine and check for seasoning. It should be fresh and zesty. You can make this in advance. If you do, just cover it and store it in the fridge. It will keep for a couple of days. If you like a punch of raw garlic, you can finely chop a clove and add that in.
To make the stew, start by stripping the cavolo nero leaves from their tough stalks. Roughly chop the leaves and set to one side. Slice the stalks finely.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped stalks, crushed garlic and fennel seeds, and cook gently until the stalks have softened and the garlic and fennel seeds are fragrant, 10-15 minutes. Stir frequently so the garlic doesn’t catch and colour.
Add the leeks and fennel with a pinch of salt and sauté until nicely softened, about 15 minutes.
While the leeks and fennel are cooking, blanch the cavolo nero leaves in a pan of boiling salted water for about 30 seconds, and drain immediately. Set to one side.
Once the leeks and fennel are nicely softened, stir the beans, their stock and the vegetable stock into the pan. Crush some of the beans slightly with a spoon to thicken the stew and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Finally, stir in the blanched cavolo nero and remove from the heat.
Once the stew is looking nice and brothy, stir in the lemon and check the seasoning.
Spoon into bowls and serve with the gremolata, and some warm sourdough on the side.
