Baked beans like those made by the old Horn & Hardart restaurant was the request of Marci K. Weiner of Baltimore.
Frank C. Alfonso of Baltimore responded with a recipe he said Weiner is sure to like. He added: "I like using an old earthenware crock and I sometimes place strips of bacon on the top of the beans towards the end of the baking period. What a hearty and tasty dish!"
Cynthia Sparks of Baltimore wants to make spareribs like those she had on vacation this past summer at J. K.'s Ribs in Kill Devil Hills, N.C. She wrote, "My family cannot wait to go there again just for the rib's sake. Thank you for any help in this matter."
Eha L. Schuetz of Baltimore responded with a barbecue sauce recipe from "A Taste of the Outer Banks," 1990 edition. She noted that it can be used on chicken as well as ribs.
Alfonso's Oven-Baked Beans
Makes 8 to 10 servings
2 cups dry navy beans, picked over
8 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 pound salt pork, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
In a 5-quart Dutch oven, soak beans in the water overnight. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to beans and soaking water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer covered for 1 hour. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Combine brown sugar, mustard, molasses, pepper and remaining salt. Stir in 2 cups reserved cooking liquid; add to beans with salt pork, onion, celery and green pepper. Spoon into a 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 2 1/2 hours, or until liquid is as thick as desired. Stir occasionally. Add more of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary.
Food tester Laura Reiley notes: "This is a very hearty winter dish. Sweetly caramelized bits of pepper and onion contrast nicely with the salty bits of soft pork.
"I would do three things differently: First, I would drain the soaked beans and begin the cooking process with fresh water. This 'de-gasses' the beans. Second, I would add just a scant 2/3 cup of brown sugar. And third, I would cut the amount of reserved liquid down to 1 1/2 cups and add more later if necessary. Two cups of reserved cooking liquid makes for a very soupy dish, even after 2 1/2 hours of cooking."
Schuetz's Barbecue Sauce
Makes about 4 cups
8 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Heat butter in large saucepan. Add garlic and onion. Cook, stirring until onions are wilted. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and let simmer about 5 minutes.
Laura Reiley notes: "These made for delicious ribs. I marinated beef spareribs in the sauce overnight. Then I scraped the sauce off and placed the ribs on a moderately hot barbecue grill. Over 45 minutes of cooking time, I painted back on the sauce. It is just slightly hot, not too sweet, and very sophisticated in its marriage of flavors."
Recipe requests
* Faye McKissack of Baltimore wants to find the recipe for "Lu Lu paste. A woman in Pennsylvania gave this recipe to my brother, who passed away, and I would like to know the ingredients. The main two were sharp cheese and Limburger cheese. You served it on crackers."
* Mrs. Justin O. Pinman of Baltimore is looking for a recipe for cookies that are made with "potato buds" and taste like they have coconut in them.
* Phy Bresse of Lumberton, N.C., writes that she loves to make bread pudding and put sauce on top. But she is looking for a recipe for the bread pudding at Quincy's Restaurant. A lemon sauce is mixed in the pudding, she notes, and adds, "I would sure like to know how to do that."
If you are looking for a recipe or can answer a request for a hard-to-find recipe, write to Ellen Hawks, Recipe Finder, The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21278. If you send in more than one recipe, put each on a separate sheet of paper with your name, address and daytime phone number. Important: Please list the ingredients in order of use, and note the number of servings each recipe makes.
Pub Date: 2/04/98
