Slow-cooked squid with white beans, bacon and lemon

Method

1. Drain and rinse the haricot beans, then tip into a medium saucepan and add fresh water to cover. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about an hour or until the beans are just tender. Drain and set aside (see tip).
2. Heat the oven to 120°C/100°C fan/gas ½. Cut the bacon into 4cm cubes (or 4cm strips if using bacon slices). Put a large heavy-based flameproof casserole (one with a lid) over a medium-high heat. Add the oil or lard, then the bacon and cook on all sides for 4-5 minutes until caramelised and golden. Remove the bacon and set aside on a plate.
3. Slice the squid bodies into 1-2cm rounds and the tentacles into several pieces. Drop the squid into the casserole and cook for 3-4 minutes until brown all over. Remove the squid and set aside with the bacon, then lower the heat under the casserole to medium.
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4. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and lemon zest to the casserole and cook, stirring often, for 6-8 minutes until the onions start to soften.
5. Return the bacon and squid to the casserole along with the tinned tomatoes, beans and about 300ml cold water. Stir, put the lid on, transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours, stirring once every hour and checking it’s not getting too dry
   (if it is, add a splash more water). After the allotted time, take a piece of bacon out to test; it should be fall-apart tender.
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning, skimming off any excess fat from the surface, if you like. Finish with chopped fresh fennel tops or flatleaf parsley, a trickle of good olive oil and a generous squeeze of juice from the pared lemon