1. Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water.

2. The next day, drain and place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, drain and cover again with plenty of fresh water. Return to the heat, add a little salt and the bay leaf, and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 40–60 minutes or until the beans are tender but not overcooked. Drain, reserving 160ml (5½fl oz) of the cooking water.

3. While the beans are cooking, place a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onion, leek and fennel. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the ground coriander. Cook, stirring, until everything begins to soften. Add the garlic and spring onions and stir for another minute. Mix in the spinach and chard, adding in batches in order to wilt them down before adding the next. Adjust the seasoning and spoon the contents of the pan into the base of a deep baking tin or dish, making sure you scrape everything from the pan.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ 400°F/gas mark 6. Season the drained beans with salt and pepper and arrange them on top of the greens. Pour in the reserved cooking water from the beans and 80ml (2¾fl oz) of the olive oil, cover and bake in the oven for 20–30 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

5. Uncover, mix in the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice and chopped herbs, then return to the oven, uncovered, for another 15 minutes or until they look almost caramelized.

6. Remove from the oven, cover and let them rest for 15 minutes before serving.

7. Serve with crusty bread and feta.

Soothe your soul with baked butter beans, spinach and chard for dinner