Roasted Cod over Chickpeas and Spinach

Pat the cod fillets dry with kitchen paper. Make a paste by mincing the 2 garlic cloves and mixing with smoked paprika, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Rub this paste all over the fillets and let them rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare the other components.

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 4 garlic cloves, minced fine, and cook slowly until golden and fragrant — this is your garlic base, Vicent says, never rush it.

Grate the two tomatoes directly into the pan. Cook this sofrito, stirring with your wooden spoon, for 10 minutes until the tomato has darkened and the oil has taken on its color. This is where the flavor lives.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add paprika and cumin to the sofrito, stir for 30 seconds, then add the chickpeas. Toss to coat every bean in that golden tomato-garlic oil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 5 minutes until the chickpeas have absorbed the sofrito and begun to toast slightly at the edges.

In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the 2 garlic cloves, minced, and cook 1 minute. Add spinach in handfuls, letting each batch wilt before adding the next. Season with half a teaspoon salt. Cook until all spinach is tender but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the rested cod fillets on a lightly oiled baking tray. Cut the lemon in half — squeeze one half over the fillets, then place the other half, cut-side down, beside them.

Roast for 10-12 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest part. The edges should turn golden and slightly caramelized — you are chasing that color, not steaming the fish.

Spoon the warm chickpeas into the center of a wide serving bowl or deep plate. Lay the wilted spinach on top.

Place a roasted cod fillet over the spinach bed. The fish should sit proud above the bed of chickpeas and greens.

Finish with a squeeze of the roasted lemon half, a handful of fresh chopped parsley, and a generous glug of your best olive oil. Serve immediately while the fish is still warm and the chickpeas are still shimmering with that sofrito oil.