# Smelt and Two-Tomato Ragù over Fresh Shelling Beans > Roasted cherry tomatoes bring jammy sweetness to a loose smelt ragù, while fresh tomatoes and torn basil keep it bright. Spoon it over tender shelling beans for a summer supper with the generosity of a good fish pasta sauce, but a completely different texture. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/smelt-and-cherry-tomato-ragu-over-fresh-shelling-beans - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2024-07-02 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Smelt and Two-Tomato Ragù over Fresh Shelling Beans](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F54603e4b89fc944a.jpg) ## Smelt Ragù with Roasted and Fresh Cherry Tomatoes Roasting part of the tomatoes concentrates their juices without sacrificing the freshness of the rest. Adding cooked smelts near the end preserves recognizable pieces of fish rather than reducing them to a paste. ### Ingredients - 12 oz cooked, unbreaded smelt meat, skin retained, heads, tails, backbones, and any firm bones removed - 1½ lb mixed cherry tomatoes, divided - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced - 1 medium carrot, cut into ¼-inch dice - 2 stalks celery, cut into ¼-inch pieces - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - ½ cup reserved shelling-bean cooking liquid, plus more as needed - ¾ cup loosely packed basil leaves, roughly torn - 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice, to taste - ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve 1 pound of the cherry tomatoes and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until slumped, lightly browned at the edges, and surrounded by concentrated juices. 2. Meanwhile, halve or quarter the remaining ½ pound of tomatoes and set aside. Check the cooked smelts carefully for firm bones, keeping the flesh and skin in coarse pieces. 3. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Sweat for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 4. Scrape the roasted tomatoes and all their juices into the saucepan. Add ½ cup bean cooking liquid and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes, crushing only a few tomatoes to form a loose sauce. 5. Fold in the smelts and fresh tomatoes. Warm gently for 2–3 minutes, just until the fish is hot and the fresh tomatoes begin to release juice but still hold their shape. If using refrigerated leftover fish, bring it to 165°F without prolonged simmering. 6. Remove from the heat. Fold in most of the basil, reserving a little for serving. Add the pepper and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then taste before adding more lemon or salt. Loosen with another splash of bean liquid if needed; the ragù should be spoonable and glossy, not soupy. ### Notes - To start with raw smelts, use about 1¼ pounds cleaned fish. Lightly oil and salt them, then roast at 425°F until the thickest flesh reaches 145°F, approximately 8–12 minutes depending on size. Cool just enough to remove heads, tails, backbones, and firm bones, then weigh out about 12 ounces of meat. - If the tomatoes are quite tart, skip the lemon. If the sauce is watery, reduce it before adding the fish. - Use refrigerated cooked smelts within 3–4 days of their original cooking date; previously frozen cooked smelts should be thawed in the refrigerator. ## Tender Fresh Shelling Beans Fresh beans provide a creamy, substantial base that catches the tomato and fish juices. Gentle cooking keeps the beans intact, and their cooking liquid gives the ragù body without cream. ### Ingredients - 1 lb shelled fresh cranberry or cannellini beans, from approximately 2½–3 pounds in the pod - 1 leaf bay - 1 clove garlic, lightly crushed - 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste - as needed water to cover the beans by 1 inch ### Instructions 1. Put the shelled beans in a saucepan with the bay leaf, garlic, and salt. Add water to cover by 1 inch. 2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook partially covered for 25–45 minutes, topping up with hot water if needed, until the beans are creamy all the way through but mostly intact. Begin checking at 20 minutes; freshness and variety affect the timing. 3. Reserve at least 1 cup of cooking liquid for the ragù. Remove the bay leaf and garlic, then drain the beans loosely, leaving a few spoonfuls of liquid clinging to them. 4. Fold in the olive oil and taste for salt. Keep warm, covered, without further boiling. ### Notes - Do not add tomatoes or lemon to the bean pot before the beans are tender; acidity can slow their softening. - Fresh shelling beans need no soaking. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The beans and roasted tomatoes cook in parallel, leaving only a brief final warming for the delicate fish. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven, shell the beans, and put them on to cook. 2. 0:15 — Start roasting the tomatoes. Chop the aromatics and sweat them while the tomatoes roast. 3. 0:30 — Check the beans and prepare the smelt pieces, fresh tomatoes, and basil. 4. 0:40 — Reserve bean cooking liquid and finish the tomato sauce. Hold the beans warm if they are ready before the sauce. 5. 0:45 — Fold the fish and fresh tomatoes into the ragù, finish with basil and lemon, and serve. Allow extra time if the beans are slower to soften. ## Plating A shallow bowl holds the loose juices while letting the beans remain a distinct base beneath the colorful ragù. ### Instructions 1. Divide the warm shelling beans among four shallow bowls. 2. Spoon the ragù generously over the beans, distributing the fish pieces and both kinds of tomatoes evenly. 3. Finish with the reserved torn basil and serve immediately, keeping some fresh tomato pieces visible on top. ## Leftover Path Separate storage keeps the beans from absorbing all the sauce, and gentle reheating protects the fish from becoming dry. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the beans and ragù in separate shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking. 2. Use the ragù within the original cooked smelts' 3–4-day refrigerated storage window; making the ragù does not restart that clock. Refrigerate the beans for up to 4 days. 3. Reheat only the portions needed, covered over low heat with a splash of water or reserved bean liquid. Bring the ragù to 165°F and avoid extended simmering. 4. For a different second meal, combine the warmed beans and ragù with a little water to make a chunky fish-and-bean soup. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.