Hot and Smoky Baked Beans with bonus Recipe by Leah

Way back when, I used to work in a dental office.  I worked for wonderful doctors and with wonderful people and hey, free dental care.  But you know the best part of working there?  Magazines!  Dental offices always have lots of magazines and this office was no exception.  Every Friday we’d get a stack of new ones and we’d all grab our favorites to borrow over the weekend.  Can you guess which magazines I grabbed? People, of course, and Bon Appetit!  Oh, how I loved that magazine.  So much beautiful food!  So many tips and techniques!  I tried a lot of new things just because I’d seen them in that magazine.  This recipe for baked beans is from those days and I’ve been making it ever since.  It’s wonderfully savory and leaves people clamoring for the leftovers.

These make frequent appearances as a side at barbecues, but when I serve it as a main dish I like to serve braised cabbage with vinegar and cornbread.

Hot and Smoky Baked Beans

© of Bon Appetit Magazine™

yield: 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

6 bacon slices

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 1/4 cups purchased barbecue sauce

3/4 cup dark beer

1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

4 to 6 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies*

6 (15- to 16-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained

Chopped fresh parsley, garnish

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Transfer 2 1/2 tablespoons bacon drippings from skillet to large bowl.
2. Finely chop bacon; add to bowl.
3. Add onion and next 7 ingredients to bowl and whisk to blend.
4. Whisk in 4 to 6 teaspoons chipotle chilies, depending on spiciness desired. Stir in beans.
5. Transfer bean mixture to 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Bake uncovered until liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

*to taste, since these can be a bit too spicy for delicate palettes.

***

This cabbage dish also comes from my dental office days.  I like to serve it with baked beans because the vinegary tang  compliments the heat and smokiness of the beans.  It’s a beautiful side dish with rich purple tones.

Braised Red Cabbage with Vinegar

yield: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed

1 2 1/2-pound red cabbage, quartered, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

PREPARATION

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add cabbage and caraway seeds; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until cabbage is wilted, about 4 minutes. Add broth. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes. Add vinegar. Cover and cook until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.