Two-Day Baked Beans

Beans prior to baking

Rumor has it there's a recession going on--have you noticed? One (possibly the only) great side effect of the recession is the resurgence of the "green" lifestyle. I say resurgence, because I believe most "green" behavior closely mimics how our forefathers weathered the Great Depression: we're thinking more carefully about what we buy, trying not to waste resources, and getting the most out of what we do use. If we're smart, we'll carry on this behavior even in the fat times to come, like those Depression-era survivors. It's frugal and it helps the planet by reducing waste. But to bring this post back around to Things Culinary, let us ponder the humble dried bean.
A pound of dried Great Northern (AKA white or cannelini) beans costs about $1 when purchased in bulk. This pound will serve four people when made into a main dish such as a soup, or eight if made into a side dish such as baked beans. Each 1/2-cup serving has eight grams of protein, 13 of fiber, and almost no sodium. What's not to love?
Canned beans, unfortunately, cost more, consume more energy in shipping and production, have much higher sodium, and also have high amounts of bisphenols or BPAs. (Lots of people now drink their water out of Nalgene or metal bottles to avoid BPAs. They're also reducing plastic bottle waste. Bonus!) What canned beans have going for them is instant gratification--open the can and start cooking. It just takes a wee bit more planning to use dried beans, though. Heck, you can even pre-soak and par-cook dried, then freeze them in their cooking liquid for your own homemade, healthier "canned" beans.
This dish is called "two-day beans" because you soak them overnight. If you need "today beans," you can follow the quick-cook instructions. Although the dish contains bacon, it can easily be made vegetarian or vegan (hey, even greener) with a few simple substitutions (see "Variations" notes below).

Two-Day Baked Beans

1 pound of dried beans
1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 c.)
4-5 slices of bacon, cooked or raw, cut into strips
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 t. dry mustard
1 t. freshly ground pepper
1 t. instant coffee crystals
Dash of Tabasco

Pick over beans for pebbles and debris, then soak in a large Dutch oven in enough water to cover by two inches. Let sit overnight, 8 to 24 hours. Quick soak method: heat beans and water to boiling and boil two minutes. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 1 hour. There is no need to drain the soaking water before moving on to the rest of the recipe.
Bring beans to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. Scatter beans in a 3- or 4-quart casserole or Dutch oven. Pour in enough cooking liquid to come about halfway up the beans. Add all other ingredients and stir.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees, stirring about once an hour, for 3 hours, or you can cook in a slow cooker on high for the same amount of time. I like to taste-test the mixture around halfway through (when I am reasonably confident the bacon is a safe temperature). The flavor will concentrate somewhat in the last half of baking, but if it seems bland, now's the time to adjust flavorings. After the three hour point, uncover the dish (if baking) and cook another 30 minutes until surface is somewhat dry.
Enjoy your yummy, healthy, inexpensive, eco-conscious dish!

Variations
This dish takes so well to improvising. Add a couple of cloves of diced garlic if you want. Got some leftover tomato sauce or paste? Throw it in! Like it spicier? Add prepared yellow mustard or Sriracha sauce. Sweeter? Add more molasses, agave, or maple syrup. Spices such as cayenne, ancho chili powder or smoked paprika can work, too: when in doubt, start with a small quantity and build it up if it suits you. That 1 1/2 to 3 hour point is your time to fiddle.
If you want to make this vegan, do *not* substitute the bacon with a soy product; most of those are fragile constructs and will not hold up under three hours of baking. Instead, get smoky flavor from a couple of drops of Liquid Smoke, or use 1/2 t. smoked paprika. Turbinado, muscovado, or unrefined sugar can stand in for the brown sugar, and the other ingredients are vegan-approved.

Easy as P. . . udding

I don't keep a lot of convenience foods around the house. Food snob? Admittedly! The main reason, however, is that I am a junk-food junkie at heart. Given the choice between making a quick turkey sandwich to assuage my hunger or, say, scarfing six Oreos that are just screaming at me from their easy-seal bag, guess which I'll do? (If you guessed eat almost all the cookie parts first and build a single Duodecuple Stuffed Oreo, you might just be a freakin' psychic.) So, the deal I make with myself is that I try to eat only my own handmade sweets at home. This ridiculously simple recipe is the most low-effort homemade dessert I know, and has the added benefit of being so delicious, people will forget all about that crap Bill Cosby used to hawk.
No picture for this recipe because, well really, do you want to look at a cup full of brown?

Chocolate Pudding
Serves four (1/2 cup servings)

3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
pinch of salt
1 3/4 c. milk (any kind but skim)
3/4 c. cream
1 t vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in a medium saucepan. Slowly add milk, whisking until well incorporated. Stir in cream, then cook over medium heat, stirring/whisking frequently, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Pour into individual serving dishes and let cool for as long as you can wait. (Fine, one hour in the fridge is about the bare minimum.)

Ancho Braised Short Ribs

Ah, fall—my favorite season. Neither scorching nor freezing; the time for brisk walks, hot tea, heavy books and stylish clothes (boots, jackets, sweaters, scarves, swoon). Is there anyone among us who doesn’t get the seasonal urge to eat hearty, rich foods, storing calories for the hard winter ahead? I always equate this time of year with slow-cooked, complex-flavored meals: stews, roasts, fortifying soups and such. There is something about the combination of warmth and divine smells emanating from the kitchen that announces, “Fall is here.” If I lived somewhere with changing leaves and seasons, I might not feel so inclined to find fall in the kitchen, but, hey, take advantage of my geographical destiny.
Today’s recipe is Ancho-Braised Short Ribs, from a Gourmet** recipe adapted from chef Robert Del Grande’s dish. Keep in mind that there are two kinds of cuts called “short ribs.” The Korean-style are cross-cut flat, with multiple rib bones per piece of meat; what we’re using here are thick cut, with one bone running through the whole thick piece. I first made this dish during the blazing heat of August, so I cooked it in a slow cooker (Crock Pot) to keep the ambient temperature down. The recipe includes notes based on how you plan to cook yours.

Ancho-Braised Short Ribs
Serves Four

There are a few ways you can prepare this recipe: In a braising/roasting pan which is safe for both cooktops and ovens; in a slow cooker; or in a frying pan (for stovetop work) and roaster (for oven work).

4 dried ancho chiles (or Californias for a slightly “brighter” taste), stems and seeds removed
2 c. boiling water
1 medium onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, ends trimmed
Juice of one lime (about 2 T.)
3 T. maple syrup
2 T. canned chiles in adobo ( I freeze this since I can’t finish even the tiniest can without tears and tragedy ensuing. It freezes soft enough that you don’t really need to thaw; just chip out what you need)
2 T. dried coffee, or 1⁄2 cup strong coffee
1 T. cocoa
1 T. vegetable oil
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
3-ish pounds of short ribs (original recipe calls for 6 pounds, but you will find that I am a saucy gal and like a lower meat-to-sauce ratio)


Soak dried chiles in boiling-hot water until softened, about 20 minutes; remove from liquid to drain. Taste soaking liquid: It will be a little bitter, but if unpleasant-tasting, discard it; otherwise, reserve for later. Transfer ancho chiles to a blender and purée with onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, coffee crystals or coffee, cocoa and 1 teaspoon salt. Add approximately 1 cup of the chile-soaking liquid or warm water, enough to loosen the puree but not make it very thin. You want it about ketchup-consistency. Set aside while browning ribs.

Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet (or braising pot, is using) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown ribs in batches, turning occasionally, about 1 minute per side until well-browned. Transfer as browned to roasting pan or slow cooker pot (if using). Three pounds of ribs should take up a single layer in most large crocks/pans.

Pour the chile sauce over the ribs. The sauce should come about halfway up the ribs. Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and braise ribs in middle of oven at 350 degrees until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. If using a slow cooker, cook on high for the same 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or set it on low and (gulp) leave the house. Using the low setting, ribs will be cooked in 6 to 9 hours but not overdone
Served freshly made, the sauce will be quite thin from the fat that melted off the ribs. If this is fine with you, it will not affect the taste. If you prefer, you can skim the fat from the juices, then serve with ribs.
In the photo above, I served these with a maple polenta and steamed carrots with honey butter.

Note: You can make these up to 2 days ahead, and will find that the flavor deepens as it sits. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered. Remove any solidified fat before reheating.

**I take yet another moment to sob for the closing of my beloved Gourmet. I credit that magazine with sparking my love of cooking, and never could have envisioned a day when it wasn't in my life.