beans on toast

A trip to the local (and only) supermarket proved to be a sobering experience upon sighting the prices of fresh vegetables...lettuce and broccoli almost reaching the $4 mark! The lack of a fruit and vegetable shop or Farmers Market on the West Coast is a real shame. Luckily tinned tomatoes and store cupboard staples like beans remain cheap, hence the inspiration for lunch today.

Baked Beans

1/2 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 rashers streaky bacon, diced
2 cans cannellini beans
1 1/ c tomato passata
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika

Cook the onion in a little oil until soft, add the bacon and garlic and continue to cook gently. Add the beans (drain and rise well) and the remaining ingredients and stir well. Cook over a gentle heat for ten minutes.

We ate the beans with cornbread. This version is made at the Morrison St cafe in Nelson - you can find the recipe here. It is a bit like a cheese scone, but with a coarser texture from the polenta. I halved the recipe which still filled a large loaf tin. This cornbread is nice toasted the next day too.