This delicious skate dish comes from Bill Buckley in London episode of Come Dine With Me.
1. Peel and chop the onions. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Melt 1 oz of the butter in a large pan. Very slowly cook the onions and garlic over the lowest possible heat until completely soft but not coloured: if your hob goes down low enough, this could take as long as an hour: the slower the better.
2. Drain the tinned beans. Rinse them thoroughly and drain again. Put them into a food processor. Season and add the cream. Tip in the onion/garlic sludge with any remaining butter from the pan. Process until you have a smooth paste. You will probably have to do all this in two or more batches. You might want to push it all through a sieve to ensure silky smoothness, or you might prefer the odd rustic lump.
3. Tip the mash into a large pan and heat very slowly and gently until piping hot. Cut the thick stalks off the parsley, reserving the leaves. Arrange the skate wings in a single layer in a baking tray or trays. Tuck in the parsley stalks. Cut one of the limes into 6 or 8 segments and tuck those around too. Splash over the wine. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with foil. Bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes until the flesh is white all the way through.
4. Meanwhile, dribble a little olive oil into another baking tray. Cut the hard ends off the asparagus spears. Season. Tip the spears into the oiled tray and mix with your hands to get them coated in the oil. Bake in the same oven as the asparagus for about the same amount of time.
5. Grate the rind from the remaining limes and squeeze the juice. Heat the remaining butter until it melts. Add half the rind and juice, and the capers and taste. If it needs more sharpening up, add more rind and juice. Finely chop the reserved parsley heads at the last possibly moment and stir them in too.
6. Put a dollop of hot mash in the centre of each plate. Lay half a dozen asparagus spears across the top. Drain the skate wings briefly and balance one on top (If the mash looks too thick, let it down slightly using the delicious liquor from the fish tray but remember it must bear the weight of the asparagus and skate).
7. Cut the remaining lime into six and add a segment to each plate. Spoon the lime and caper sauce over and around the fish.
Please note this recipe has not been tested professionally. Like the Come Dine With Me contestants, you could be creating a culinary delight or dining disaster
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