Beans for breakfast? It might sound strange, but beans in the morning are part of a long standing tradition called full breakfast  in the British Isles. Similar to weekend brunches in the States, full breakfasts are saved for weekends and vacations when you can really sit down and enjoy the meal with family and friends. If you ever stay at a bed and breakfast in England, you’ll be treated to a full breakfast that leaves the hungriest eaters ready for a nap.

The classic full breakfast is almost overwhelming in how much food is served. There’s the typical fresh fruit and cereal served alongside hearty bacon and eggs. But that’s only the beginning! An authentic full breakfast includes grilled tomato slices and onions plus sides of baked beans, sausages and toast. You can make a full breakfast at home for your family just like you’d get if you were traveling abroad. Definitely save it for a weekend when you have the time to hang out around the table or invite friends over for a fun themed brunch.

Our stove top pinto bean recipe is a tasty side dish that will make your full breakfast a hit. These beans have a really complex flavor from the use of herbs and spices that create layers of flavor. The sauce is little sweet and a little spicy from brown sugar and half of a jalapeno that imparts a little heat without making the dish too hot to enjoy. After toasting the cumin and coriander seeds, you’ll crush them so they impart more flavor than the jarred power versions. Chipotle powder gives the dish an unexpected smoky flavor. To sweeten things up at the end, garnish the beans with a drizzle of bittersweet molasses. While we suggest serving these beans with a brunch, they make a great dish any time of day.

 

Full breakfast

 

 

Stove Top Pinto Beans

4 1/2 cups Randall Pinto Beans, not drained
2 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp dried oregano
1 dried bay leaf
1 tbsp chipotle chili powder
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded but not chopped
molasses for garnish

In a dutch oven over high heat, toast cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant. Remove the seeds from the dutch oven and crush to release their oils and set aside. Heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering then add the garlic and sauté until golden brown, being careful not to let the garlic burn.  Add tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes or until the oil begins to separate from the tomato garlic mixture, stirring frequently. You might have to add small amounts of water, a tablespoon at a time to prevent scorching. Add the beans jalapeño half and brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for an additional 1/2 hour or longer, stirring the beans occasionally. If you feel the beans are becoming too thick, just cover the pot and continue to cook over the lowest possible heat. Garnish with molasses just before serving.

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