The National Allotment Society - National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd
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American Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients

500g haricot beans (if bought dried from a supermarket, then soak overnight in cold water)
1 large onion
2 sticks celery
2 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
150ml pint vegetable stock
ΒΌ teaspoon chilli powder
Salt and pepper
Optional - 80g wholemeal breadcrumbs and 100g grated cheese to make a topping.

Method

  1. Drain the beans - rinse well, place in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook rapidly for 10-15 minutes
  2. Cover and transfer to the oven (140 C) for 1-2 hours or until the beans are tender. Check after an hour in case they are ready.
  3. Drain and rinse, set aside. Heat the oil in a casserole dish; cook the onion and celery for 2 minutes, add the garlic, cook until soft, add the tomatoes, stock, chilli powder, beans, salt and pepper.
  4. Bring to the boil, cover and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes

Optional - Top with breadcrumbs and cheese and place under the grill to create a crunchy topping if desired.

The true American recipe for this dish is a lot sweeter as sugar is added in the form of molasses or brown sugar. A thick piece of Bacon can also be placed on the top of the beans for the last 40 minutes of cooking time to produce a hearty meal.