Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.
Ombrellos' homestyle baked beans
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small white onion
1 medium carrot
1 celery stick
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 Tbsp dried mixed herbs
2 tsp ground paprika
½ cup red wine
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
2 small tins chopped tomatoes
2 small tins cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Method
Finely chop onion, carrot and celery. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute for 10 minutes. Add herbs and paprika. Stir for about 5 minutes on low heat. Add red wine, bay leaf and vinegar and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add washed and drained beans and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for another 10 minutes then serve on toast or with any sides you fancy such as eggs, bacon or sausages.
This can be cooled and stored in the fridge for three days or frozen.
Requested by Mike Duncan, of Dunedin.
The recipe comes from Stevo Duncan, head chef of Ombrellos Cafe and Bar in Clarendon St, North Dunedin.
• If you have enjoyed a dish in an Otago cafe or restaurant and would like the recipe, write to Ask a Chef, Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 181, Dunedin, fax 474-7422, or email odt.features@odt.co.nz, including your name, address and a daytime telephone number, and we will request it.
