Hats and/or Food and Baked Beans

"It can't be hats and food.  It has to be hats OR Food."

I asked a good friend of mine if she ever read this blog.  She said she had once and not again because it had to be hats OR food, not both.  I was surprised. She likes hats, we go out, she likes food.

So, the other day I had just started a pot of black beans for baked beans, when my neighbor called.  She had a lot of friends in town and they wanted to come and look at some hats.  I never say no if I can accommodate and they came over.  While all that was going on I suddenly smelled the beans.  I hadn't turned them off for soaking.  So I went from showing hats to running to the kitchen to attend to the beans.  Hats AND food.

Baked Black Beans

serves 4 people


1 1/2 cups dried black beans
3 cups vegetable, chicken or beef stock
1 fennel bulb, chopped, sautéd in butter until tender
1 small bunch of cilantro stems, tied with string
3 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 cup tomatillo sauce

Put the beans in a heavy soup pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, boil for one minute, turn off the heat and let soak for one hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees 

After 1 hour, drain off the water and add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, put in the oven and let bake at a slow simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes and adding more stock if needed.  Salt to taste at the end of the two hours.  The beans should be sweet and tender and the sauce should not be too thick.  

Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro before serving with skirt steak and rice, or pork chops and potatoes.

While the beans are baking, I usually work on making hats...because I like to think about both hats and food.

To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.