Baked beans: Take your time, create a classic in a Dutch oven

Published 2:30 pm Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Making baked beans from scratch isn’t fast, but it is easy. Though the dry beans do need to be soaked overnight, then baked for a couple of hours, actual hands-on cooking time is just about 15 minutes. And the taste of the finished product is worth it.

This recipe from Marie Simmons’ “Things Cooks Love” is a great excuse to haul out your heavy Dutch oven.

Dress these beans with sauteed cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh Italian parsley and pitted Kalamata olives.

OVEN-BAKED CANNELLINI BEANS

1pound (about 21/2 cups) dried cannellini beans (or other dried white beans)

4cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1small yellow onion, halved

1bay leaf

2to 3 cups water or unsalted chicken broth, or as needed

Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Place the beans in a large bowl, then add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Alternatively, place the beans in a large saucepan, add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches, then bring to a boil, cover and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the beans stand in the water, covered, for 1 hour.

Use a colander to drain the beans.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium to large Dutch oven (4 to 8 quarts), combine the beans, garlic, olive oil, onion and bay leaf. Add enough water or broth to cover the beans.

Cover the pot and bake for 11/2 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes. As the beans cool, they will absorb most of the excess cooking liquid.

Scoop out and discard the onion halves and bay leaf. Use a mesh strainer to drain and discard any liquid not absorbed by the beans. Season the beans with salt and pepper.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe from Marie Simmons’ “Things Cooks Love”