Maple-Cider Baked Beans

• HEALTHY
• MAKE-AHEAD
• VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

1. 1 pound dried beans, such as Jacob's cattle, pinto or flageolet—picked over, rinsed and soaked overnight in cold water
2. 2 quarts vegetable stock or water
3. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
5. 1 garlic clove, smashed
6. 1/2 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
7. 1/3 cup amber maple syrup
8. 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
9. 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
10. 1 teaspoon chopped sage
11. 1 bay leaf
12. Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Drain and rinse the beans. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with the stock; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderately high heat until the bean skins begin to split, 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Heat the olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the onions and garlic, cover and cook over low heat until the onions soften, 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions are browned, 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, maple syrup, vinegar, parsley, sage, bay leaf and 3/4 teaspoon of salt; bring to a boil. Add the beans and their cooking liquid and bring to a boil..
3. Cover and bake for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender and the sauce is thick. Remove the bay leaf, season the beans with salt and pepper and serve.