Thursday, February 2, 2012

ANNE BURRELL’S ROCKIN’ BAKED BEANS, adapted

Ann Burrell's rockin baked beans

One of my favorite chefs is Anne Burrell, who currently teaches at the Culinary Institute of America in addition to hosting several Food Network shows.  On a recent episode of “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,” Chef Burrell made her “Rockin’ Baked Beans.”  I increased the sugar in the recipe slightly and thought they were just right, but my hubby wanted them sweeter.  If you’re like my hubby and want your beans on the sweet side, add an additional 1/4 cup of brown sugar.  The original recipe calls for canned beans, but I opted for dried beans that I cooked first.  If you want to shorten your cooking time, use canned beans. 
I liked the complex flavors of this hearty dish.  The vegetables and meats with the sweet-hot tones were tasty and satisfying enough to be used as a main dish.
  
Anne Burrell’s Rockin’ Baked Beans, adapted
Rating:  8.5 out of 10

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INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-large onion, cut into 1/2” dice
1/2 of a large green pepper, cut into a 1/4” dice
kosher salt, to taste
3 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane grater
2 links hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1/3 cup tomato paste
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1-1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1-1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp. molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
5 cups cooked navy beans (1 lb. pkg.), or 3 15-oz. cans navy beans
2-1/2 cups bean liquid, or bean liquid and water to equal 2-1/2 cups, divided use
5 slices bacon

Coat an oven-safe pot with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and put over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers.   Season with salt, to taste, and cook until the onions and peppers are soft and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Add the sausage and use a spoon to help break it apart. When the sausage is brown, add the tomato paste and cumin and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the Dijon, apple cider vinegar, and molasses, then add in the beans and 1 1/2 cups of water.  Taste and season with salt, if needed. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the beans until they are nice and thick and taste really good, about 15 to 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add the remaining cup of water.
Top the beans with the bacon slices.  Bake until the beans are nice and thick and the bacon is crispy, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Ann Burrell's rockin baked beans (2)

You might also want to try Company Baked Beans.  They're mild and flavorful and downright good.

Maple Baked Beans for a Crowd have a nice kick with a little sweetness.

Baked Beans with Ground Beef are a real man pleaser, with ground beef and bacon and a nice tang from a little brown sugar and some apple cider vinegar.

6 comments:

Diane said...

This sounds fantastic for these cold chilly night we are having. Diane

Coleens Recipes said...

Anne Burrell is my favorite TV chef as well, I just like her style. These beans look excellent. My picky-picky husband loves beans on the sweeter side as well, thanks for the heads up. Great photos!!!

TinaRBK said...

Beans are such a great item for pot lucks and gatherings. These all look pretty tasty-glad you pulled all these links together.
Thanks for stopping by my blog also-enjoy the weekend!

Rita said...

Amazing recipe; I know my man would love these. It has been a long time since I served beans. I have never heard of her here in Canada.
Rita

Beth said...

My mom used to make homemade baked beans, and they were always great. I'll have to check out Anne Burrell!

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

Ann Burrell's recipe sounds delicious and could be a meal in itself. There's nothing more perfect for game day!