3 ways with maple syrup

Inventive ideas for this classic North American condiment

- ANNA GLOVER

Chipotle maple baked beans

effortless!

Let the oven do all the work with this one-pot dish inspired by Boston baked beans. Perfect for stuffing into jacket potatoes, or spooning over toasted sourdough.

3 HOURS 30 MINUTES + OVERNIGHT SOAKING SERVES 6 | EASY

dried cannellini beans 500g, soaked overnight in cold water

vegetable oil 1 tbsp onion 1 large, finely chopped

celery 2 stalks, finely chopped

smoked bacon (whole piece ideally) 150g, cut into 3cm pieces

tomato purée 3 tbsp

rosemary 1 sprig

bay leaves 2

vegetable or chicken stock 600ml

whole dried chipotle chillies 2

maple syrup 4 tbsp

cider vinegar 2 tbsp dijon or wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp

jacket potatoes, cornbread or soured cream to serve

1 Drain the soaked cannellini beans and rinse again in cold water. Heat the oven to 160C/ fan 140C/gas 3.

2 Heat the oil in a casserole or heavy, lidded, ovenproof frying pan, and fry the onion and celery for 10 minutes until soft. Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes until it starts to turn lightly golden around the edges - turn up the heat slightly, if you need to.