Leti, author of Revealing Flavors , brings us a perfect recipe to take advantage of the cocotte, emphasizing cooking without haste and enjoying the most traditional flavors. Thus, he brings us a recipe for beans with seafood, which you can make if you prefer with beans or similar. A plate of spoon and dipping bread. Go for it!

Of course, if there is one good thing about the fact that winter has not decided to leave this year yet, it is that we can continue enjoying spoon dishes a little more. Although it is also true that I do not stop preparing these types of dishes until it is absolutely necessary (when you risk suffering a heat stroke while enjoying them, wow).

Of course you put this dish on me in the middle of August and I think I wouldn't be able to refuse. And it is that a fantastic dish, which combines some delicious beans, with that delicate texture that is pure butter, with the powerful flavor of seafood and that tasty broth... It is not only that I eat a dish, it is that I even repeat it!!

And of course, from my point of view, if there is something that gives the definitive touch to this recipe, it is to prepare it in the Le Creuset cocotte, over low heat and letting the beans cook little by little to obtain the better texture . Because, since we are going to use the best ingredients, their thing is to prepare them with care to enjoy our dish to the fullest, don't you think?

What, shall we go for the recipe?

Bérard olive wood spoon , Pallarès carbon steel knife , Nezumi Tokyo Design Studio ceramic plate and Evolution Le Creuset round cocotte

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• 500gr of farm beans (or white beans)
• 8 prawns or prawns
• 100gr of clams
• 100gr of cockles
• 200gr of mussels
• 1 glass of white wine (approximately)
• ½ onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• Olive oil
• Water
• Salt

Elaboration

1. We start by soaking the beans or beans in cold water for at least 12 hours. The water should cover them loosely, so during the time they are soaking we can add a little more water if necessary.
2. Once we have the beans already hydrated, we put them in the cocotte together with the onion, the bay leaf and a drizzle of olive oil . Cover with cold water and put over medium heat until they start to boil, removing the foam that will rise to the surface whenever necessary, with the help of a slotted spoon .
3. Once it starts to boil we must "scare" them, that is, add a little cold water to the pan that will stop the cooking. We will scare them 3 times, that is, every time it starts to boil, we will add a little cold water until we have added water 3 times.
4. We lower the heat and, with the lid of the cocotte ajar, let them cook for 2 or 2 hours and a half, until they are tender.
5. During cooking, which should always be over low heat to prevent the beans from breaking or skinning, we will be watching that they do not run out of water. If we have to add more water, we will do it with hot water, and if we need to stir them, we will never do it by inserting a spoon into the cocotte, since it would break the beans, but by moving the cocotte with circular movements holding it by the handles.
6. Once the onion is tender, we take it out of the cocotte and grind it with a little of the bean broth, using a blender . Once crushed, add it back to the pan.
7. While the beans are cooking we are preparing the seafood .
8. It is important that we put both the clams and the cockles in a bowl with cold salted water for at least 30 minutes (preferably 1 hour) so that they remove any remaining sand that they may have.
9. After this time we put a frying pan or low casserole over high heat, cover the bottom with a little white wine (just cover the bottom) add the cockles and cover the pan.
10. As the cockles open, remove them to a plate. Strain the broth using a sieve and reserve both the cooking broth and the cockles.
11. Repeat the process with the clams.
12. In the same way we repeat the process with the mussels, which we will already have clean of beards or remains that could be in the shells.
13. In all 3 cases, it is important that we remove them from the pan as soon as they open, since they will later cook together with the beans.
14. Next, peel the prawns and reserve the heads and shells on one side, and the tails on the other.
15. Cover the bottom of the pan with a little olive oil, heat over medium heat and add the sliced ​​garlic.
16. When the garlic is golden brown, add the heads and shells of the prawns to the pan and fry over a high heat for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring from time to time and, with the help of the mortar mallet, for example, we crush the heads.
17. After that time, add the remaining wine and cook for 1 more minute, until the alcohol evaporates. Add half a glass of water and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.
18. After this time, we strain the broth and using the mortar mallet, or a strainer with a ball , we press the shells and heads of the prawns well so that they release all the juice.
19. Reserve the broth and discard the rest.
20. In the same frying pan, put a little olive oil and when it is hot, add the bodies of the prawns, just brown them for a moment on each side. We booked.
21. When the beans have approximately half the cooking time, add the seafood cooking broths to the cocotte and continue cooking.
22. In the last 10 minutes of cooking the beans, add the shellfish to the cocotte so that it all comes to a boil and the flavors are well integrated.
23. When the beans are tender, we correct the point of salt, let them rest for 10 minutes... And enjoy!

Emile Henry ceramic ramekins , Pallarès carbon steel knife , Bérard olive wood spoon , Nezumi Tokyo Design Studio ceramic plate and Evolution Le Creuset round cocotte

Grades

• Although you can enjoy this freshly prepared dish, ideally we should let it rest for up to 1 day so that the flavors settle.
• I have used the varieties of shellfish that I indicate in the recipe, but you can make this dish with the ones you prefer.
• As you will see, I do not add salt to the recipe, since it is provided by the seafood. However, at the end of cooking, try and adjust the salt level to your liking.