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Description
The soft, cheesy topping is enough of a hit to divert our kids from the fact that this tasty bean bake also contains more than one of their five-a-day (shock horror!). We adults love it too. This recipe serves two adults and three kids in our house, and we usually have it with salad and garlic bread.
Ingredients
For the cheese sauce
- 30g butter
- 30g plain flour
- 125g cheddar and a handful for the topping (grated)
- 300ml milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg, beaten
For the beans
- 2 x garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 x small onion, chopped finely
- 250g mushrooms, chopped
- 2 x tins of beans without sauce (any that you like - we used borlotti and canellini, but you could use tins of mixed beans or any others)
- 1/2 a tin of baked beans
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- A couple of splashes of Worcestershire sauce or Henderson’s relish (optional but nice)
- A shake of mixed herbs (or use some fresh if you have them)
- A couple of pinches of salt
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 190c/170c fan
2. In a large pan, gently fry the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes and then add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Keep frying gently for a few minutes until soft.
3. Add the drained beans and baked beans, Worcestershire sauce/Henderson’s Relish and seasoning and simmer gently for around 10 minutes. While it’s simmering, make the cheese sauce.
4. In a smaller pan, gently melt the butter and add the flour. Stir continuously for a couple of minutes until it forms a paste. Add the milk and stir with a whisk over the heat until it thickens. Remove from heat, allow to cool for a few minutes and then add the cheese and stir in the egg.
5. Pour the bean mixture into a large oven-proof dish and then top with the sauce.
6. Put in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
