Fill and boil your kettle. Tip the pearl barley into a small pan and pour in enough hot water from the kettle to cover by a few cm. Add a pinch of salt and pop on a lid. Set the pan on a high heat and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 mins till the barley is tender. When it’s ready, drain it and tip it back into the pan. Cover with the lid to keep warm.

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion and carrot. Warm a large, deep frying pan or wok on a medium heat for 2 mins. Add ½ tbsp olive oil, the onion and carrot and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pop a lid on the pan (or use a baking tray if you don’t have a lid) and sweat the veg for 8 mins, stirring a few times, till soft and pale golden.

While the veg fry, peel and crush or grate the garlic. Tip 1 tbsp Spanish seasoning into a heatproof jug and crumble in the stock cube. Add the garlic. Pour in 350ml hot water from the kettle and stir to dissolve the stock cube. Drain the tin of butter beans.

Stir the butter beans into the veg. Pour in the spiced stock. Pop the lid back on the pan and simmer for 10 mins, stirring now and then.

While the veg simmer, rinse the spinach well with cold water then trim the dry ends. Finely chop the spinach leaves and stalks.

Stir the spinach into the pan. Squeeze in the juice from half the lemon. Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if you think it needs it. Add the cod fillets, skin-side down. Cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 mins. The cod will be opaque and flake easily when pressed with a fork.

If you haven’t drained the pearl barley yet, drain it and divide between 2 warm bowls. Top with a cod fillet each, and spoon over the beans and sauce. Serve with the remaining lemon half, sliced into wedges for squeezing.