Wednesday 3 October 2012

Vegan MoFo: Smoky Paprika Baked Beans


Ok, so I know it’s just baked beans – but these are real baked beans, not the too sweet with no flavour ones from a can (sorry Heinz, but it’s true). Although baked beans on toast can be a fallback for vegos eating breakfast out, it always amazes me cafes don’t go to the trouble of making their own – it’s so easy! Plus, often if they do, it’s made with chorizo or ham hock in it –yerk. If you make a big batch, put some in some sterilised jars and preserve them. If you have some jars - wash, and put them in a preheated 120C oven for five minutes to sterilise, and fill while beans and jars are hot – don’t burn yourself! If you screw the (metal) lid on and turn upside down for 10 minutes to cool, this should create a vacuum and seal your jars when you turn the right way up. Voila! Easy tasty beans for breakfast!

Ingredients
2 cups dried white beans
1 large brown onion
2 cloves garlic
2 litres beef style stock
3 bayleaves (fresh if possible, makes such a difference)
200 ml tomato puree
3 tablespoons tomato paste
60ml vegan worcestshire sauce
60 ml balsamic vinegar
1 heaped tablespoon smoked paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
Cracked black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs

Method
Soak the beans for a minimum of three hours, rinse, and drain well.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, sauté onions and garlic until translucent.
Add beans, and cover with vegetable stock, bring to a simmer.
Add remaining ingredients, and leave to simmer, topping up occasionally as necessary with boiling water and/or more stock, until beans are tender (this can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours depending on how long you soak your beans).
Allow to reduce until beans are sitting in a thick sauce.
Serve with some good toast, like sourdough or rye.


8 comments:

  1. I'm a huge baked beans fan and your look really good! I never think to make paprika a star ingredient, such a good idea!

    ReplyDelete
  2. yum this sounds great, i adore baked beans!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks so yummy and our photography is beautiful!

    Kayleigh X

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wish - I have never thought to can my own baked beans. I wonder if it needs a pressure cooker? Will need to investigate! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thankyou for all your lovely comments! Janet, if you have ever made jam, you can put them in small jars the same way. A very large saucepan can work too, put the sterilised, filled, jars in cold and completely cover with water. Bring to the boil and then turn off the heat and allow to cool in the water.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just posted a sweeter molasse version on my blog, but I'll definitely bookmark this one for later!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love this idea. Definitely want to try it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ooooh, thank you for this recipe. I had beans at a cafe on the weekend and they were sublime but loaded with sugar. I'm looking forward to trying this version.

    ReplyDelete