1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. As the oil warms, it will start to shimmer — that’s your cue to move on.
2. Add the chopped onion and sauté gently for about 5 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. This gentle cooking brings out the sweetness, much like the slow-cooked stews my mum used to make on rainy Devon afternoons.
3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant but not browned — burnt garlic is a mistake I made more than once as a child, and it’s one best avoided.
4. Add the drained white beans to the pan, stirring to coat them in the onion and garlic mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the beans to warm through and soak up the flavours.
5. Sprinkle in the dried thyme and smoked paprika, stirring well to combine. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Pour in the vegetable broth or water, then add the chopped spinach in batches, stirring until it wilts down. This should take about 3-4 minutes. The spinach will shrink dramatically, just like the way memories can grow richer over time even as they seem to slip away.
7. Once the spinach has fully wilted and the liquid has mostly evaporated, squeeze the lemon juice over the dish and give it a final stir. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
8. Remove from heat and serve warm, with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan if you’re feeling indulgent.

One little tip from my own kitchen: don’t rush the sautéing of the onions. That slow softening is the backbone of the dish’s flavour, just like the slow Sunday mornings we spent over mugs of tea, watching the light shift through the kitchen window.