Like many people, I usually have cans of baked beans in my cupboard to use when needed. On a recent trip to Sheffield, I stopped at a cafe called Green Howst for brunch in a fit of nostalgia as i used to stop there regularly when I studied for my Masters in the city. They had taken the opportunity to redecorate and crate a new menu, which I wanted to try. I had their version of beans in tomato sauce with cheese and a fried egg, which was super rich and yummy. These recipes come from that one meal I had, both serve two and are ideal for a quick dinner or brunch.
This is the Green Howst dish that inspired both my recipes.
Recipe 1 Rich Chorizo and Baked Beans Ingredients:
1 onion diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 cooking chorizo sausages, skin removed and chopped small
2 handfuls chopped mushrooms, fresh or frozen
1 TSP paprika
1 TSP dried oregano
1 can baked beans
150 ml double cream
3-4 eggs depending on how hungry people are
Stilton cheese, crumbled, to taste
Method:
Add the chorizo to a pan and fry on medium heat until it starts releasing oil, about 2 minutes.
Add the onion and garlic and fry until they start turning soft and the chorizo starts going crispy.
Add the mushrooms, turn the heat on high and fry until all the water from them is released and has almost evaporated.
Add the paprika and oregano and fry for 1 minute, still on high heat. Add the beans and stir until they start to bubble. Turn the heat to low, add the cream and stir in.
Drop the eggs in and cover with a lid for about 8-9 minutes until the eggs are cooked through to your liking.
Turn off the heat, remove the lid and sprinkle with some Stilton to taste before serving with crusty bread.
Recipe 2 Baked Beans and Meatballs
Knob of butter
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 pepper, finely chopped
250 g pork mince
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp paprika, divided in two
1 tbsp plain flour
Salt, to season
1 can baked beans
1 tbsp yogurt mixed with a little water into pouring consistency
200 g cheese (either a mix of a few different ones or just plain cheddar), grated
Fresh parsley chopped
2-3 eggs
Pre-heat your oven at 180 degrees C.
Fry the onion, garlic and pepper in the butter over low heat.
Mix the mince with the mixed herbs, 1/2 tsp paprika and the flour well. Make into even sized balls and drop into the onion mixture. Flatten slightly and cook on low until browned slightly on both sides.
Sprinkle in the rest of the paprika and stir for one minute before adding the beans. Turn the heat to medium and let the beans start to bubble before adding the yogurt. Stir in and add the grated cheese on top.
Turn off the heat and place in a preheated oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the parsley.
Fry the eggs in plenty of oil and place on top of the beans before serving.
Suggestion:
If you fancy making any of the recipes vegan, hold off on the chorizo in recipes one and use vegan cream and melty cheese. For recipe two, use your favourite vegan meatballs, yogurt and malty cheese. Fry everything in vegetable oil where it calls for butter and hold off on the eggs.
Note:
If you can get of of it from a Bulgarian store (found in the freezer section), use the universal packet of mince in the photo bellow. This comes very finely ground with more fat than in mince you get in normal supermarkets. This makes it extra moist when cooked and doesn't shrink when fried.
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