1.
Cover the beans generously with cold water and leave them to
soak overnight. Drain them.
2.
Heat the oven to 325°F / 160°C / Gas 3. If the bacon includes
skin, cut it off and put it in the bottom of a bean pot or heavy
casserole. Put the beans, onion, bouquet garni, garlic, and some
pepper into the pot and bury the piece of bacon in the beans.
Pour in water to cover and add the lid. Bake the beans in the
oven until they are very soft. This can take anything from 1 1/2
to 3 hours, depending on the age and type of bean and the
thickness of the pot, so check them from time to time to see how
they are doing. Keep adding water, too, so the pot is never dry.
By tradition, the beans are done if one or two burst when you
blow on a spoonful of beans. By then, the cooking liquid should
have evaporated so that the beans are moist but not soupy. If
too thin, take off the lid for the last half hour’s cooking, or
at the end of cooking, boil the pot on top of the stove to
evaporate liquid.
3.
When the beans are tender, stir in the wine with salt and
pepper. Cover and leave to cool for about an hour so the beans
absorb much of the wine. Take out the bacon and discard the
onion and bouquet garni. Dice the bacon and stir it back into
the beans. The bacon skin can be discarded, or diced also and
added to the pot.
4. To
finish: Reheat the beans and, if too much liquid remains, boil
to reduce it. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Of course baked
beans keep well, for several days in the refrigerator.
Quick Fix
Use presoaked beans instead of beans which must be soaked
overnight. I’ve always been told that baked beans are a dish
which does well in the pressure cooker, though I don’t use one
myself.
What Wine
To Cook: The generic red wines from California's San
Joaquin Valley sold as Burgundy or vino rosso will do nicely.
To Drink: If the beans are to be the centerpiece of your
meal, I would aim for a full-bodied, fruity red such as a
California zinfandel or an Australian shiraz
This Recipe of the Month
selection comes from Anne Willan's newest release: Anne
Willan Cooking With Wine (2001) published by Harry N.
Abrams, Inc. in association with COPIA: American Center for
Wine, Food, and the Arts.
