Food

This baked bean recipe or "cassoulet" is a staple in french cooking. Paired with Chef Lynn Crawford's bricken chicken and rutabaga mash, it's the perfect family meal!

Ingredients

2 cups dry white navy beans, soaked overnight
6 slices bacon, cut into lardons
1 onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
to taste salt and pepper

Preparation

To make the beans, preheat the oven to 325 ºF. Drain the beans and place them in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer for about an hour, or until beans are soft. Drain excess water from the beans and place them in an ovenproof casserole dish. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the bacon to the beans. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden brown and add to the beans. Add the brown sugar, mustard, molasses, maple syrup, tomato sauce and water to the beans and stir to blend thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the casserole and bake for about 2 hours. The beans are done when the liquid is very thick.

Yield: serves 4