Plump and cream-coloured with a mild flavour and a smooth, buttery texture, haricot beans are a staple ingredient of dishes such as cassoulets or Boston baked beans.

With little flavour of their own, they absorb other aromas and flavours easily, making them ideal for this week's recipe. If you prefer, chick peas make a good alternative.

Spiced haricot beans

Serves 4

200g dried haricot beans, soaked overnight in cold water

1 carrot, peeled

1 celery stick

2 onions, peeled

200ml ham stock

6 sprigs of fresh thyme

3tbsp olive oil

80g bacon lardons

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1tbsp tomato puree

1tsp mild curry powder

1tsp smoked paprika

1tsp ground cumin

A pinch of salt

Ground black pepper

1tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Cut the carrot, celery and one of the onions in half and add them to a large saucepan with the beans. Add the ham stock and thyme, top up with cold water to cover the beans and vegetables and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the beans are soft, then strain, reserving the liquid but removing the vegetables.

Heat 1tbsp of the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over a moderate to high heat. Thinly slice the second onion and add it to the pan along with the bacon lardons and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, by which time the bacon should be cooked and the onions soft.

Add the tomato puree, curry powder, paprika and cumin and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato and onion mixture to the cooked beans along with 250ml of the cooking stock, a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper.

Place the beans back on the stove and simmer gently for 15 minutes, adjusting the seasoning if required.

Finish the beans with the parsley and serve in a warm dish.