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A Date with Baked Beans
Ingredients
  • 1 pound dried white beans I used Rancho Gordo Marcella beans
  • 9 C. water
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1/2 C. pure maple syrup I used Trader Joe's brand
  • 1/2 C. Medjool dates pitted and chopped (or use more if you like a sweeter baked beans)
  • 1/4 C. tomato paste
  • 1/4 C. unsulfured molasses
  • 1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T. grainy mustard
  • 2 t. smoked paprika dissolved in water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Garnish with chopped parsley chopped tomatoes and chopped red onion
Instructions
  1. Soak beans overnight. Cook the beans in an Instant Pot for about for 20-25 minutes or until done but not falling apart.
  2. Alternatively, drain soaked beans and put them into a large Dutch oven. Cover the beans with water and bring them to a boil. Lower the heat and cook the beans for about 40 minutes or until they are just tender.Drain.
  3. Whichever way you cook the beans, reserve about two cups of the cooking water. Using the Instant Pot method, I didn't have quite two cups and added tap water.
  4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  5. Put the beans in a large Dutch oven and stir in the chopped onion, maple syrup,dates, tomato paste, molasses, apple cider vinegar, mustard, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and the two cups of reserved bean cooking water. Cover the pot with a solid, tight-fitting lid.
  6. Bake at 325 degrees F. for at least 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Check on the beans as you are baking them and add a bit more water as necessary if the beans seem dry. You want them the beans to be suspended in a tasty sauce when you serve them.
  7. Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley and chopped tomatoes. Some chopped red onion would be a nice garnish, too.