Frosty mornings are quite the thing here at the moment. Most days we wake to frozen pipes and a farm covered in frozen fractals all around. And by the way, isn’t fractals a great word? Cheers Elsa.
While I wish it were true that we warm ourselves daily with a bowl of steaming baked butter beans topped with a sunny fried egg, as above, it only seems to happen on weekends and generally when friends are visiting. Nevertheless, when we do share this for breakfast, it’s always a hit. I love homemade baked beans and loathe the tinned variety while my husband Tim and kids are happy with either. Hopefully more so with the former.
And so, having found it a hit at home, I tried out my favourite baked beans recipe on the gang at our most recent food photography and styling workshop. We made the beans the night before and we re-heated them in a frozen paddock (lots of fractals here too), over a roaring fire. We drank cardamom coffee and it was magic. Breakfast picnics should totally become more of a thing.
Baked butter beans with fried eggs and parsley
You could use any dried legume you fancy here, I just like the size and general ‘go’ of butter beans. This is also great served with oven-baked croutons or lots of warm crusty bread. And of course, it’s also excellent for lunch and dinner.
200g bacon, cut into lardons
380g (2 cups) butter/lima beans
1 brown onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground mixed spice
1 x 800g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
Fried eggs for all
Freshly chopped parsley
Soak the butter beans overnight (or for at least six hours) in a large pot of water. Drain then return to the pot, fill with water and place on medium heat. Cook until beans are completely tender (about 45 minutes). Meanwhile, start making the base of your baked beans.
Preheat oven to 160C and pour a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-based Dutch oven or oven-proof casserole dish. Add the bacon and cook until nice and crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside for a bit. Now, reduce heat to medium low, add a little more olive oil and cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about five minutes. Add the cinnamon stick, spices and a good seasoning of sea salt and black pepper and cook for a few minutes more. Then tip in the tinned tomatoes, cooked bacon, half a cup of water (or more if you think it’s looking at all dry), the Worcestershire sauce and maple syrup and bring mixture to the boil. Add the cooked butter beans and stir to combine. Cover with a lid or tight-ftting layer of foil and place in the oven for 45mins-1 hour.
Serve with a fried egg on top, a drizzle of extra olive oil, lots of freshly chopped parsley and a few chilli flakes.
Many thanks to the lovely Ella (above and above again) who once again proved herself to be not only excellent company at our last workshop, but an invaluable help and excellent ‘model’!
And also, my apologies that the images here aren’t all as sharp as they might be. This was the first outing for my new camera; I was a bit cold and rushed and didn’t quite nail the settings!
If you would like to learn more about the Local is Lovely food photography and styling pracshops, please jump over here or send me an email; sophie_hansen (at) me.com
I think you photo’s are beautiful. The frost looks almost magical! I always wish I woke up to a frosty morning but Sydney just doesn’t have the same feel … especially when you wake to a tree muncher outside your window at 6am :S
I’m off to a friends farm in a few weekends so this recipe would be perfect… might have to convince everyone for a breakfast picnic and a morning fire. Looks beautiful!
Breakfast picnics should totally become more of a thing. I agree. Love these frosty photos x
Thanks for the recipe Sophie. Cold night here in Sydney so I made these for dinner. My vegetarian daughter loved them, even my non bean eating son liked them too. Will be making them again for sure!
Oops. Meant to say I made it without the bacon.