Beans on Toast

 

 Something that I had never ever heard of before I moved over here to the UK, was a tasty dish called beans on toast. 

 They eat everything on toast over here . . . tinned mushrooms, tinned spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, sardines, cheese . . . and, well, baked beans.

   

 I first encountered this dish at the care facility that I worked at not too long after Todd and I got married. They were serving the residents beans on toast one night for supper, and I asked the cook . . . what exactly is beans on toast? 

 She looked at me like I was a complete doofus, which of course I was. I thought that there must be some mystical recipe, and that I had somehow missed out on it all my life. 

 I felt really dumb when she told me it was exactly what it said . . . baked beans dumped on to toast. So, like any good Canadian that is trying hard to assimilate into a new country, I went home and tried it. I had to see what all the excitement was about. 

   

 They were quite good, but . . . I can remember thinking to myself . . . they can be better, and so I kicked them up a notch. 

 Anyone who knows me, knows I just can't leave well enough alone. I must always improve things in some way. (Which again, is debateable, but to me . . . they are improved)

   

 And yes . . . sometimes even Todd and I have beans on toast for our tea. And what's more, I'm cheeky brilliant enough to give you a recipe for it! (These are rather good, if I don't say so myself.)

   

  *Beans on Toast* 

Serves 2 

Printable Recipe 

 Comfort, comfort, comfort . . . 

 For the toast: 

4 slices of sourdough bread 

2 spring onions, thinly sliced 

2 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated 

For the beans: 

1 (14 1/2 oz/425g) tin of baked beans in tomato sauce 

1 TBS dark treacle 

1 TBS soft light brown sugar 

1 TBS cider vinegar 

1 tsp mustard 

2 tsp grated onion

   

 Place the beans, treacle, sugar, vinegar, mustard and onion in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce the heat to simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

 Keep warm while you do the toast. 

 Pre-heat the grill on your oven to high. Place the bread slices on a baking tray and grill for several minutes on each side until lightly toasted.

 Sprinkle one side of each slice with 1/4 of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the onions evenly over top of all. Bang back under the grill and grill until the cheese is melted and bubbly. 

 Place two sliced of cheese toast on each of two warmed plates. Divide the beans equally amongst the two plates and spoon them over top of the cheese toasts. Enjoy!