Mors Kjokken (Mother’s Kitchen)

Baked Beans recipe from my Mother (her favourite):

OLD-FASHIONED BAKED BEANS

5 cups dried white beans

1 tblsp. baking soda

6 oz. salt pork, cubed

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 tblsp. brown sugar

4 tblsp. molasses

5.5 oz. tomato paste

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

Wash beans in several washes of cold water. Cover with cold water and soak overnight.

Next morning, bring to a slow boil, cook slowly for twenty minutes. Stir in soda and watch carefully that it doesn’t foam over. Drain, then rinse in cold water. Place beans in bean pot, layering with the salt pork.

Stir enough hot water into the remaining ingredients, except the onions, to cover the beans. Add extra water to level of lid area. Place onions on top and bake uncovered in a 220 degree F. oven for about six hours. Improves by re-heating. Freezes well.

**my notes**

The several washes stems from when beans often were home-grown and dried, but even when store-bought, often had bits of leaf, etc. in the bag. Not to mention small bits of stone and the like. I remember picking through to make sure only beans went into my pot!

If you want to speed up the soaking, put the dry beans in a heavy pot (the bean pot is perfect) and cover with boiling water (I often add soda at this stage, too). After the water cools to room temperature, proceed from “Next morning,”

If you don’t care for salt pork, or are vegetarian, you can omit that or use something you do like that is similar.

I’m not entirely sure what is meant by ‘level of lid area’, but keep in mind that you will be adding the onion last and allow enough room for that and to not spill as you transfer the pot to your oven.

If you want to cook this slower, you can put the lid on at first, then remove it to let some of the juice evaporate. Or put the pot in after supper, but at a reduced heat, then test in the early afternoon the next day and adjust heat higher if needed.

The soda helps to eliminate the gas-producing qualities of beans. Adding herbs such as savoury helps with that, too, but you have to use your own taste as a guide. Try Googling “How do you make beans less gassy?” and you will find plenty of links and ideas.

I love baked beans and we had these often when I was growing up. I have my own recipe that sort of evolved from this one. My favourite accompaniment is steamed brown bread, which I used to make in 48 oz. tomato juice tins. I don’t think you can buy them anymore. I’m not sure what I would use these days, as now I know that many tins are not safe to cook in, too. But I would think that anything safe and about that shape and size would do, or perhaps a pudding mould.

Let me know what you think.  ~ Linne

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My morning coffee (weekend treat)

I love to use the coffeepot my Aunty gave me about four years ago, just before she turned ninety.

First I add water up to the mark on the spindle.

Then the coffee (I grind it in my Magic Bullet, then store it in a small glass jar. (saves waking people when I want coffee after breakfast on the weekend)

Put the coffee basket onto the spindle.

Put on the lid.

Now on a back burner on high until it starts to ‘perc’ (why they are called ‘percolators). Then turn down until it just bubbles softly along.

When it’s done to your liking, enjoy. My percolator makes two coffee cups full or one and a half mugs. I love to use it when my Aunty is up for a visit! She loves it, too!!