Spanish Alubias Blancas con Bacalao (White Bean Stew with Cod)

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 celery sticks
• 2 carrots
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)
• 4 cloves garlic (rougly chopped)
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (15 ml)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme (0.50 grams)
• 1 jar cooked white beans (same as canned) (25 oz / 700 grams)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cod fillets (7 oz / 200 grams each)
• sea salt & black pepper
• fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the onion into 4 evenly sized pieces, cut the celery sticks into 3 pieces each, and cut the carrots into small chunks

2. 2

   Add the chopped vegetables into a stockpot and fill with water, just enough to cover the ingredients, season generously with salt and heat with a high heat

3. 3

   After 15 to 20 minutes and the veggies are just tender, drain everything into a fine sieve with a heatproof bowl underneath, reserve the cooking water

4. 4

   While the vegetables are cooling, drain the jarred beans into a colander and rinse under water

5. 5

   Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, add them into a tall plastic cylinder, along with a small handful of the rinsed beans and a 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the reserved cooking water, using a hand blender, blend together until you get a smooth puree, you can also use a food processor or a stand-up blender

6. 6

   Heat the same stockpot with a medium heat and add in the olive oil

7. 7

   After a couple of minutes, add in the chopped garlic and mix continuously, after 30 seconds to 1 minute and the garlic is fragrant, add in the sherry vinegar and thyme and quickly mix together, then add in the pureed vegetables, the rinsed white beans and season with salt and pepper, gently mix together, then add in 2 cups (480 ml) of the reserved cooking water, the bay leaf and raise to a high heat, give it a gentle mix

8. 8

   In the meantime, add the cod fillets over some paper towels and pat dry, then season with salt and pepper, and then finely chop the cod fillets (I used cod fillets I bought frozen and thawed out)

9. 9

   Once the broth comes to a boil, add in the chopped cod, mix together, then place a lid on the stockpot and lower it to a low-medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through

10. 10

    Transfer into shallow bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, enjoy!