Brithday breakfast on the beach

Birthday. Boston Baked Beans. Beach. Beautiful.

TREACLE BAKED BEANS

Serves 8

500g dried white beans or cannellini beans, rinsed

1 large onion, cut in half

2 bay leaves

125ml maple syrup

125g brown sugar

1 tbsp black treacle

½ tbsp chilli flakes

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp Worceshire sauce

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

200g bacon lardons

1/ First you prepare your beans. Put the beans, onion, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large 2 litre pot and cover with 1.5 litres of cold water. Simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans but keep 600ml of the cooking water.  Remove and discard the halved onion and bay leaves.

2/ In the now empty pot add the maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, chilli flakes, salt and worcestshire sauce and Dijon mustard and 600ml of the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook, over a medium heat for a few minutes until the sauce has come together.

3/ Add the beans to the sauce along with the bacon lardons.  Leave to cook on a low heat over night or for 6-8 hours until the beans are melt in your mouth like butter and the sauce has become deliciously syrupy.  Stir as often as you feel like.