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Baked beans

Baked beans

Riverstone Café chef Bradley Main serves his baked beans with poached eggs and sourdough toast. You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

“The gorgeous Riverstone Café in Bellingen makes a point of using local and organic produce, and the homemade baked beans are a real highlight. Please persuade chef Bradley Main to part with the recipe.”
Ann Bartlett, via email

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Baked beans

Serves 6
Cooking Time Prep time 15 mins, cook 3 hrs 25 mins(plus soaking)
330 gm   dried haricot beans, soaked in cold water overnight
3   red capsicum, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
2   carrots, coarsely chopped
1   onion, coarsely chopped
75 ml   olive oil
170 gm   speck, finely chopped
3   garlic cloves, crushed
2   thyme sprigs
1   fresh bay leaf
400 gm   canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp   smoked paprika
60 ml   (¼ cup) maple syrup
To serve:   poached eggs and toasted sourdough


1 Drain and rinse beans in cold running water. Place in a saucepan with enough water to cover by 2cm. Bring to the boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low and simmer until just tender (30-40 minutes). Drain and transfer to 3-litre capacity ovenproof dish.
2 Meanwhile, process capsicum, carrot and onion separately in a food processor until finely chopped.
3 Preheat oven to 180C. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion, speck, garlic and herbs and cook until soft (7-10 minutes). Season to taste. Add capsicum and stir until soft (3-5 minutes). Add tomato, bring to a simmer and add to beans. Add 500ml water, cover with foil and bake, stirring occasionally, until beans are just tender, adding more water if beans become a little dry (2 hours). Add paprika and cook until beans are soft yet still retain their shape (25-30 minutes). Stir through maple syrup, season to taste and serve with poached eggs and sourdough toast.


RECIPE Bradley Main, Riverstone Café PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Chen STYLING Vanessa Austin

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