Homemade Baked Beans
We are huge fans of Heinz baked beans here at PSGC towers – there is something about that sweet processed tomato sauce that appeals to my lowly roots. But sometimes even I want a slightly healthier / more adult version. And the benefit of homemade baked beans is that you know exactly what has gone in to them.
My kids visibly wince when I say things like healthy version! – particularly when applied to something they think is perfectly fine in its processed version. I am undeterred by this lack of enthusiasm.
This recipe is based on one from Tom Kerridge (The Hand and Flowers pub) that was in one of the Sunday papers a while back. I scribbled down the details on an envelope, promptly lost it and this is roughly what I could remember, and have adapted over time.
Ingredients:
- 235g drained cooked haricot bean (a 400g tin of beans in water – drained)
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- large squirt of tomato puree
- 150g onion choppped (approx 1 medium onion)
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon of brown sugar
- 1 table spoon of dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon each of dried marjoram and basil
- Large pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 250ml water
Method
Place the chopped onion, crushed garlic in a pan with the tablespoon of oil, and soften without browning, on a low heat. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, seasoning and herbs.
Stir in the tinned tomatoes, drained beans and the water. Transfer to an oven proof dish with a lid, and bake in the oven at 180 degrees C for 45 minutes.
Dried beans need to be baked until the beans are soft, and topped up with boiling water if they start to dry out. These beans are fab served with baked ham in coke or bbq ribs, but my favourite is with my easy peasy fish cakes. And definitely a few beers.
