Not that there\u2019s anything wrong with simple baked beans on toast just as they are. But even if I have them that way, and I\u2019ve always loved it, I always, always, add butter, and do so generously. Melted butter adds a delicious touch of luxury to this humble breakfast. So do that, if nothing else.<\/span><\/p>\n I had \u201chomemade\u201d baked beans at an otherwise very good breakfast spot in the Great Karoo a few weeks ago (I\u2019m being kind; I really liked the place so I didn\u2019t quibble about this when writing about it). But the reference is apposite here. It was a little side bowl of homemade baked beans on a big breakfast plate. And they just did not taste right. Nothing at all like baked beans in tomato sauce out of a tin, a mere disappointing facsimile. It was a rare occasion when you realise that it just makes sense to buy the damned can, open it, heat it up and eat.<\/span><\/p>\n But it got me thinking: rather use that can of beans, and add to it, so that you get all of that familiar flavour and texture with an extra few bits and pieces.<\/span><\/p>\n Enjoy Tony Jackman\u2019s writing and way with food? <\/b>Sign up to Tony\u2019s weekly newsletter here<\/b><\/a>. It\u2019s free, and in your inbox every Friday afternoon. If it goes to promotions or spam at first, please drag it into your inbox.<\/b><\/p>\n But what should they be? A second can, but of chopped tomatoes? Nope. There\u2019s plenty of tomato in there already. Onion? Oh yes, but it needed to be fried first, not added raw.<\/span><\/p>\n Then my mind went to bell peppers\/capsicum. Red, because it\u2019s sweeter than yellow or the relative bitterness of green bell peppers, and with this added I realised that we were venturing towards chakalaka. Should I add chilli? I decided to make that optional, and I added a few other optional ideas as well. Use any of them, all of them or n0ne of them, it\u2019s your breakfast.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Not everyone wants garlic for breakfast if you\u2019re facing a day of meeting people, but if you live and work alone, who cares\u2026 the cat, maybe.<\/span><\/p>\n (Makes 4 slices of toast)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Ingredients<\/b><\/p>\n 4 rashers of back or streaky bacon<\/span><\/p>\n 1 small red onion, sliced<\/span><\/p>\n \u00bd a ripe red pepper, diced<\/span><\/p>\n 2 Tbsp butter<\/span><\/p>\n 400g baked beans in tomato sauce<\/span><\/p>\n Salt<\/span><\/p>\n Black pepper<\/span><\/p>\n Parsley, chopped<\/span><\/p>\n Optional: chopped chives, finely chopped garlic, \u00bd tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, \u00bd tsp mustard powder<\/span><\/p>\n 4 large slices of ciabatta, toasted, or other bread of your choice<\/span><\/p>\n Method<\/b><\/p>\n Fry the bacon rashers as you like them, then dice into tiny bits. Reserve.<\/span><\/p>\n Fry the onion slices until soft and taking on a bit of colour. Reserve.<\/span><\/p>\n Fry the diced red pepper and cook for 3 minutes or so. Reserve.<\/span><\/p>\n Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the baked beans. If adding any of the additional ingredients, stir them in now. Season with salt and black pepper. Heat through on a lowish heat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Add the fried bacon, onion and peppers, reserving a little of each for garnish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Heat through and serve on toasted ciabatta, garnished with the remaining bits of bacon, a few slivers of red onion, a sprinkling of diced red pepper and chopped parsley. <\/span>DM<\/b><\/p>\n Tony Jackman is Galliova Food Writer 2023, jointly with TGIFood columnist Anna Trapido. Order his book, foodSTUFF, <\/span><\/i>here<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram <\/span><\/i>@tony_jackman_cooks<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n This dish is photographed on a salmon plate by <\/span><\/i>Mervyn Gers Ceramics<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n![\"recipes](\"https:\/\/www.dailymaverick.co.za\/wp-content\/themes\/daily-maverick\/images\/gallery-icon.png\"){kind=icon}
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