The haricot bean, navy bean, pearl bean, Boston bean, white pea bean, or pea bean is a variety of the common bean. It is a dry white bean that is smaller than many other types of white beans, and has an oval, slightly flattened shape. This recipe comes from a good friend in Wales it is a wartime recipe which has been adapted slightly. It is very thrifty but surprisingly good to eat.

Yields1 Serving

8 oz Haricot beans (soaked overnight)

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 lb Onions

¾ pt Water

½ pt Milk

2 oz Butter

2 oz Flour

2 oz Grated cheese

½ tsp Dry mustard

8 oz Canned tomatoes, chopped

Dried breadcrumbs

1 tbsp Butter

Ensure the beans are well soaked then cover with water and let them simmer gently for about 1 hour or until tender.
Drain, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F /190°C

Peel and slice the onions and cook them gently in the water until they are tender, then drain them, reserving the water and making it up to 1 pint / 500 ml with the milk

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour,
when it 'froths' remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the milk and onion water.
Return the saucepan to the heat, stirring all the time for 3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Add the grated cheese, dry mustard, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put the beans in a shallow greased casserole dish and arrange the tomatoes on top; season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the onions on top of the tomatoes and season again

Pour the sauce evenly over the onions

Scatter the breadcrumbs on top and dot with butter

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes

Ingredients