Wednesday, July 12, 2017

On this week's Menu: Boston Baked Beans with Pork

This is one of Lynne's all time winter favourites. She has been making it for years. You need to make it in a lidded casserole dish. We prefer to use tinned beans as it saves energy (gas or electricity); getting dried beans soft can take a very long time

500g Dried Haricot Beans or 2 tins white Cannellini beans - 1 large onion - 2 cloves garlic, sliced - 225g salt pork or streaky bacon in one piece - 225g belly pork - 2 tablespoons tomato puree - 2 tablespoons black treacle (not blackstrap molasses) - 1 teaspoon dry English Mustard - 1 teaspoon fresh Sage, chopped - Salt and Pepper
If using dry beans, soak them in cold water overnight. Bring the beans to a rapid boil and then drain them, throwing the water onto your compost heap or garden. This is important. The water of dried beans can be toxic and give you a bad stomach. (If using tinned beans, there is no need to soak or boil the beans, just drain them and add them to the meat and onions). Cut the pork and bacon into 2.5 cm pieces. Slice the onion and the garlic and fry gently in a large ovenproof casserole until soft. Put in all the other ingredients. Season well and cover with water. Cook at a medium heat for 1½ hours or until the beans and the meat are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve with a mixed salad or with Spring savoy cabbage briefly cooked in a little vegetable stock, a few cumin seeds and butter
(We have not tried this but you may well be able to make this with beef short ribs if you do not eat pork.)
We enjoyed this with a bottle of the Chocolate Block, robust enough to stand with the dark flavours of the dish


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