Mexican baked beans

I love British baked beans, but obviously I had to give them a Chili Maven makeover. The shortcut is a tin or jar of good beans (I use Italian ones) with salsa macha stirred in for flavour and fire. They're perfect on toast, with eggs or alongside grilled meats.

Ingredients

1 cannellini or borlotti beans (tin or jar), drained with liquid reserved

1 tablespoons Chili Maven MILD & SMOKY salsa macha

1 teaspoons Chili Maven SPICY & NUTTY or EXTRA HOT salsa macha (optional)

1 tablespoons tomato paste

0.5 tin of chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoons paprika

0.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

½ red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

0.5 teaspoons salt, to taste

For garnish

  • Parmesan cheese

  • Browned and crispy bacon lardons or cubed chorizo

method

  1. Soften the onion: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion until soft and translucent.

  2. Cook the garlic: Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Make sure it's fully cooked before moving on, because once the tomato paste goes in, the garlic stops cooking.

  3. Sizzle the salsa macha: Add the MILD & SMOKY salsa macha for a deep, roasted warmth. If you want heat, add the SPICY & NUTTY for bright heat, or the EXTRA HOT for a smoky kick. Sauté for about a minute until it sizzles. If the pan starts to dry out, add a splash of the reserved bean liquid.

  4. Add the tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute.

  5. Simmer: Add the chopped tomatoes, beans, paprika and brown sugar. Simmer until thick and glossy, adding more bean liquid if it gets too dry.

  6. Season and serve: Stir in the apple cider vinegar, season with salt and top with your garnishes of choice.

Optional Garnishes

Top with the bacon or chorzio, and/or the grated parmesan cheese. Make them a day ahead if you can, the flavours develop even further overnight.