Posh Beans on Toast

I have been completely swayed by the idea of beans on toast. It's an English thing that I never knew about before living in the UK. Coming from a long line of Boston Bean eaters, it took some adjusting to the tinned variety so popular here. I've now decided there is a happy medium somewhere between the Boston Baked beans of my youth, the delicious Casoulette of France and those popular tinned beans of the UK. I tend to buy packets of Haricot Lingot beans when I visit France, but this warm and satisfying dish can also be made with dried haricot, cannelloni beans, pinto beans or any dried white kidney beans. 

There are three main keys to the success of this dish: soak the beans the night before, cook them low and slow in ceramic casserole dish in the oven and don't add any salt or bullion until the beans are soft. Salt inhibits the absorption of water. For some reason the ceramic pot helps them get soft and tender (just think New England Beanpot). As for the amount of vegetables or kind of tinned tomatoes, that is up to you. The recipe is very forgiving.

This is my ceramic bean pot. It was made by an amazing potter down in Dorset. The best part is the lid can be used as a serving dish when it is inverted. 

500 gr / 1 lb of white haricot, cannellini, pinto or borlotti beans
3 carrots, quartered and sliced
3 celery stocks, diced
2 small onions or 1 large onion, diced
1  395 g tin of cherry tomatoes or chopped Italian tomatoes 
1 500 g tomato passata or sauce (or larger if you have one)
2 t bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
5 garlic cloves, whole
1 bay leaf
Boiling water to cover the beans by 15 mm or 1/2 inch.

Finish with:
1-2 vegetable stock cube, Knorr Veg pot or Marigold buillon 
Salt to taste
Chopped flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 180 C degrees, then turn down to 150 C once you put the beans in the oven.

Start by soaking the white beans in plenty of water over night. If you have forgotten to do this, pour boiling water over the beans and leave to absorb for an hour. Rinse the beans and set aside. Also, start a full kettle of water to boil.

Dice up the carrots, celery and onions and put in the bottom of the large ceramic bean pot. (This can also be done rather well in a slow cooker on low.) 

Add the beans, bicarbonate of soda, bay leaf and whole cloves of garlic. Toss all of ingredients in the pot together to distribute the vegetables amongst the beans. Tuck the whole garlic cloves down deep into the pot. Pour the chopped tomatoes, passata or tomato sauce over the beans. Finally, add 15 mm or 1/2 inch of boiling water over the top of the beans so there is enough fluid for the beans to absorb and get soft.

Cover the bean pot and place it in the hot oven. Turn the temperature down to 150 C and leave to cook for 4 - 5 hours. At about 4 1/2 hours, peak at the beans to make sure there is a enough liquid. Give them a stir and determine if they are soft or need a bit more time. They should break up a bit upon stirring. If you achieve this texture, add the vegetable bouillon and salt/pepper to taste. 

I like to serve mine with some grated cheese, Tabasco and toasted sourdough bread or a fluffy jacket potato. This is great made a day ahead and reheated to serve. Freeze some single portions for weeknight meals of beans on toast. You'll never go back to that well know tinned baked bean ever again.

Serves 8 - 10 people.

The best brownies

Real American Brownies with a European recipe

When I make these, I am always asked for the recipe. Here is the problem: they are made with Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate which is not available in the UK. So, with a bit of practice and a few batches, I have converted my Great Aunt Ruth's Brownie recipe to a European friendly version. For my US followers who can get Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate, I have also included the original version:

Aunt Ruth's Brownies - Original version:

2 1/2 oz Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate (2 1/2 wrapped squares)

1/3 cup salted butter

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

1/2 t pure vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 325 F / 170C (160 C fan)

Grease and flour a 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" baking pan, or better yet, line it with a piece of parchment paper you scrunch into a ball and then open up to line the pan. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler (glass bowl on top of a saucepan with a little bit of slow simmering water below). Let cool, then add the sugar, 2 beaten eggs and the vanilla. Give this a good stir with a fork, let rest for a few minutes and stir it up again. Next, add the flour, baking powder, salt and nuts if desired. Mix together and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes for 8"x8" pan and 20 minutes for 9"x9" pan. The brownies will rise in the pan as they bake, but you need to take them out before the set firmly. Cut into 16 sqaures once cooled. Doubles well for larger batches.

+Abigail Wyckoff notes in the family cookbook that for a richer brownie, use 1 1/2oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 oz bittersweet chocolate.

Aunt Ruth's Brownies - European Version:

70 g 70% dark chocolate

85 g salted butter

2 eggs, beaten

100 g caster sugar

50 g light brown sugar

75 g plain flour

1/2 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 170 C (160 C fan)

Line and grease a square pan with greased baking parchment (teflon sheets are really useful here as well). Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler (glass bowl on top of a saucepan with a little bit of slow simmering water below). Let cool, then add the sugar, 2 beaten eggs and vanilla. Give this a good stir with a fork, let rest for a few minutes and stir it up again. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and nuts if desired. Mix together and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes for 190 cm pan and 20 minutes for 210 cm pan. Cut into 16 squares once cooled. Doubles well for larger batches.

TOP TIP FROM A FOOD STYLIST ABIGAIL WYCKOFF: If you cut the brownies with a cheap plastic knife after they've cooled, you get a nice clean cut.

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

In the height of this flu and cold season, nothing makes me feel better than a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. In fact, I can crave it acutely. And when London turns snowy and wintery, I positively must have it. If you are like me, may I suggest you put some of the extra stock in the freezer for one of those days you are feeling low and just need that quick fix of "feel better soup".

This recipe is based on the one my Grandmother taught me when I was a child. You can read about it in my post entitled, "Grammy Wyckoff's Chicken Noodle Soup". If you don't have the time to make homemade egg noodles, find some nice sturdy noodles with a bit of bite. Even the pickiest of my children slurp this soup right up. Serve it with a bit of my No Knead Bread.

Chicken Stock
If you are using a left over roast chicken, pick the meat off and reserve. Otherwise, place a whole Organic or Free Range Chicken in a large stock pot.

1 large onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
2 carrots, quartered
2 celery stalks, cut in thirds
1 leek, cut in large chunks
1 lemon cut in half and given a bit of a squeeze
1 heaped tablespoon of Marigold buillon powder or Knorr stockpot tub
1 bayleaf
Any fresh herbs you might have: parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf
(Potato water if you made mash with your roast)

From a Roast Chicken: Pick the all visible meat off of the chicken carcass and put in the refrigerator for later. In the largest stock pot you have, put in the vegetables listed above, the ones from the bottom of the roasting pan, any fat and bones, burnt bits, etc. (Trust me, this makes the richest stock and will be strained later.) Cover the whole thing with water and cook covered at a low simmer for about an hour. (This could also be done in a large Crockpot.) 

From a Fresh Chicken: Add all of the ingredients and bring to a light simmer for 1 1/2 hours. If the temperature gets too high the chicken will get tough. After 1 1/2 hours pull at the drum stick. If it comes away easily,  remove the the whole chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. The chicken should be firm and the leg start to fall off. Reduce the stock further to intensify the flavor. You'll be able to make lots of additional dishes with the poached chicken.

Let the pot cool. Place a large bowl in the sink and line it with a large colander. Scoop all of the bones and vegetables into the colander and let it drain. Discard these items, they have done their job! Now pour the remaining items into the colander strain out the remaining bits and pieces. Finally, refrigerate this stock with some cling film over the top. Once it has really cooled down a layer of fat with float to the surface. Lay a paper towel on top and the fat will adhere to the towel. Throw it away. The stock can be frozen in portions for later use or saved for noodle soup. Tip: Pour some stock into those ice bags before putting it in the freezer. You can add them to sauces for quick flavour.

(For a more Asian flavour, add a knob of ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves.)


Noodle Soup
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 leek, sliced
1 T olive oil
2 liters/1 quart of chicken stock
1 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups uncooked thick egg noodles (recipe follows)

In a medium sized pan, saute the vegetables in the olive oil. Add a portion of the chicken stock. Simmer the vegetables until they become soft. Turn up the heat to a light boil. Add the chicken and egg noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender, but not too soft. (If you don't have the time or inclination to make noodles, try cut up pasta, rice, wild rice or barley.) Adjust salt and pepper to taste. 


Egg Noodles
I use a classic pasta recipe for these. You can double the recipe if you want to make extra noodles for another day. When my grandmother made them, she would drape the noodles over a broom handle as they dried. I've cut mine a bit shorter to appeal to my children. 

100 grams (scant cup) 00 Pasta flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium egg
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp water

Combine the ingredients into a food processor. 

1) In a food processor, add all of the ingredients and blend until the dough resembles a rough wet sand. If you pinch it, it should come together. (This can also be done by hand by making a well in the centre of the flour and incorporating all of the ingredients, but it won't have the look of sand.)

2) Bring the dough together into a ball and let rest with cling film for 5 minutes. 

3) Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board. I like my noodles a bit thicker, but the will swell when they are cooked. 

4) Cut the noodles vertically and then horizontally. 

5) Toss the noodles with a bit more flour to prevent them from sticking together as they dry.

Let me know how you like it. With the rest of the chicken, I made a Chicken, Leek and Mushroom pie, as well as some risotto. That has kept us for almost a week of meals. What would you make with the leftover broth and chicken?

Worthy Bran Muffins

Saturday morning: no bread, the bananas are brown and the milk is off. Don't panic, help is on the way. This is my go-to recipe.

My mother makes an art of reading the New York Times. With a pair of scissors in hand, she cuts out articles and recipes to try at a later date. She has discovered some real gems over the years. One such recipe was originally entitled Fruited Bran Muffins. I have made them for so long my recipe has evolved into something completely different over the years. Remarkably, my somewhat picky children even love them.

Worthy Bran Muffins

1 cup All-Bran Original cereal (buds not flakes)
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs

2 mashed overripe bananas

1/2 cup raisins or chopped apricots

1 grated carrot

1 1/2 cups wholewheat flour (white all-purpose if you are feeling less worthy)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sunflower/pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 400 F / 200 C (Fan 180C)

Stir milk with All-Bran cereal in a large bowl and let sit while you assemble the other ingredients. Add in oil, eggs, mashed bananas, grated carrots and raisins/apricots, giving everything a little toss with a fork. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix lightly with a fork until just combined.

Divide between 12 muffin cases (I like using silicone cases because the muffins slide right out). Top with more sunflower/pumpkin seeds.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly before cracking them open and adding butter. Also great once cooled with a bit of cream cheese. These freeze well and are perfect for children's lunch boxes.

Variations: grate 1 zucchini/courgette, but squeeze out any extra liquid before adding it to the batter. Sour milk or 3/4 cup of plain yogurt can also be used as a substitute for milk.