Poached Cod with King City Pink Beans, Bacon & Greens

There was raw cod in the fridge, left over from last night’s fish fry prep. I had just finished a pot of Rancho Gordo King City Pink Beans. Outside, the wind was loud and cold. Inside, the house felt still. I wanted something warm that didn’t feel heavy.

Instead of frying the fish, I rendered bacon, built a vegetable base in the fat, folded in the beans, let spinach melt into the broth, and gently poached the cod right in the ragù. What came to the table was humble, comforting, and better than the effort it took.

It’s the kind of meal that feels especially right on a cold, windy winter night — when you’re grateful to be indoors.

Cornbread wasn’t optional. It was required.

Ingredients

Bean Ragù Base

4 slices raw bacon, sliced thin

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, sliced

1 celery stick, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Fresh cracked black pepper

Pinch cayenne

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

Beans, Greens & Liquid

2 cups cooked King City Pink Beans with some of their broth

1–2 cups chicken stock or bean broth

Splash of white wine

1–2 cups fresh spinach

Fish

12–16 oz raw cod, cut into large chunks

Finish

Extra-virgin olive oil

Reserved crispy bacon

Method

Render the bacon

Place the raw bacon in a wide pot over medium heat and cook slowly until the fat renders and the bacon becomes crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve it for topping the bowls. Leave all of the rendered fat in the pot.

Build the bean ragù

Add the onion, carrot, celery, yellow pepper, and garlic directly into the bacon fat. Season with black pepper, cayenne, and Cajun seasoning. Stir, cover, and let everything cook down for about ten minutes until the vegetables soften, release their sweetness, and become glossy.

The kitchen should already smell like dinner.

Deglaze

Uncover the pot, add a splash of white wine, and scrape the bottom to lift all the good bits. Let the wine reduce until it no longer smells sharp.

Beans, greens, and broth

Add the King City Pink Beans with some of their broth, then pour in enough stock to keep everything loose and spoonable. Stir in the spinach and let the mixture simmer gently for about ten minutes.

The spinach should disappear into the broth. The beans should soften and thicken the liquid naturally. The whole pot should look like a rustic, brothy ragù.

Poach the cod

Nestle the raw cod chunks into the simmering ragù. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

💡

Cover the pot and let the fish poach gently for six to eight minutes, just until opaque and flaky, using medium-low flame. Think lazy bubbles, not exciting action.

Do not rush this. Gentle heat keeps the cod silky.

Serve

Spoon a generous scoop of the bean ragù into each bowl with plenty of broth.

Nestle the cod on top.

Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and scatter the reserved crispy bacon bits over the fish.

Serve immediately with warm cornbread for sopping.

Why this works

The bacon builds the foundation without overpowering.

The spinach melts into the broth and deepens it.

The beans become the sauce.

The cod stays clean and tender.

It’s simple food, cooked slowly enough to feel intentional.

Final thought

This is not a flashy dish. It doesn’t need to be. It’s warm, grounding, and deeply satisfying. It’s the kind of food that reminds you that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.

It just has to be honest.

And sometimes, it just has to make you grateful to be inside while the wind does whatever it wants outside your windows.

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Poached Cod with King City Pink Beans, Bacon & Greens