Smoky home-made baked beans on toast with a fried egg

GILL MELLER’S SMOKEY HOME-MADE BAKED BEANS

Homemade baked beans are so much better than anything you can find in a tin and are incredibly versatile. Try them for supper topped with a delicious confit duck leg, or some sizzling hot sausages, or a piece of pan-fried fish like turbot or brill. For breakfast, or as a weekend brunch dish, you can’t do much better than good old beans on toast, with a fried egg on top.

Preparation time 20 minutes | Cook time 90 minutes | Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 Stonegate Estate eggs

2 slices of organic sourdough or good bread

1 tbls of olive oil

1 small knob of organic butter

For the beans

1 tbls of olive oil

1 medium organic onion, finely diced

2 cloves of organic garlic, thinly sliced

2 tsp of coriander seed, cracked

1 tsp of smoked paprika

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs of rosemary

1 tin of organic tomatoes, crushed

2 tsp of Dijon mustard

1 tbls of soft brown sugar

1 tbls of organic dark treacle or molasses

2 tbls of organic cider vinegar

1 jar of cooked white beans, about 700g

METHOD

  1. Set a large heavy-based casserole over a medium–low heat. Add the olive oil followed by the diced onions. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook, stirringregularly, for
10–12 minutes, until the onions have softened.
  1. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, coriander seeds and all the herbs. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes, thenadd the canned tomatoes plus half a can of water, and the mustard, sugar, molasses and vinegar and stir well.
  1. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered over a low heat for about 45 minutes, or until you have a rich, deep-flavoured sauce that will cling to the tender beans. You might need to top up with water if the mixture looks a little dry.
  1. Add the beans and cook for a further 15–20 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow the beans to stand for 10 minutes before tasting and adjusting the seasoning, if necessary.
  1. Toast the bread on both sides and butter generously.
  1. Set a medium sized frying pan over a high heat. Add the olive oil and a touch of butter. When the butter is hot and bubbling away, crack in the eggs. As the eggs are cooking, season their tops with a pinch of flaky salt and some pepper. Baste the egg as it fries, to seal the yolk.
  1. Heap a few spoonfuls of baked beans on top of your buttered toast and top with a fried egg.
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