Being married to someone who didn’t grow up in Britain means that some things I take for granted are a revelation to Paul. I grew up eating beans on toast because it’s cheap, kid-friendly and nutritious. However, it’s not an international staple so this humble lunch is still a novelty to Paul who requests it with great enthusiasm. I also make this as a side dish to serve with BBQ ribs or chicken.
When I lived in North America I ate BBQ on a scale we simply don’t have in the UK. Huge festivals and restaurants devoted to the art of grilling food and serving it will an array of sides; one of which is usually baked beans. I took the flavours of North American baked beans and combined them with the British classic to make this Ultimate Tinned Baked Beans which we invariably eat on toast. Even I get excited by beans on toast now and I’ve been eating it for decades.
Beans are a phenomenal source of fibre and protein which are great for lowering blood sugar and pressure as well as giving you a steady burn of energy.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 2 Adults & 2 Kids
2 x tins of low salt/sugar baked beans
1 large shallot or small onion
6 rashers of streaked smokey bacon
60ml apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp English mustard
70g BBQ sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
- Cut the bacon into small lardons and peel and slice the shallot. If you’re using an onion then dice it to be roughly the same size as the bacon lardons. Put a little oil in a large skillet then fry the bacon and shallots on a medium high heat, stirring regularly, until the bacon has a little colour and the shallot has softened.
- Add the vinegar and allow to evaporate for a minute before adding the sugar, Worcestershire sauce, English mustard, BBQ sauce and cumin. Give everything a stir then tip in the tins of beans and stir again then cook on a low heat (with a lid on) for 30 minutes.
- Serve with thick crusty bread either for dipping or Beans on Toast Style with grated mature Cheddar melted on top.
onetoughcooker.com 