Spicy Red-Eye Baked Beans

The addition of the coffee, for which the recipe is named, deepens the other flavors in the beans.

• 
  
  1 lb. dried pinto beans
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  1 medium onion, chopped
  
  


• 
  
  2 large cloves garlic, chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. ground cumin
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. ground allspice
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  6 cups lower-salt beef broth
  
  


• 
  
  1 meaty smoked ham hock
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup brewed coffee
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup mild molasses, such as Grandma's Original
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup ketchup
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  
  


• 
  
  2 sprigs fresh oregano
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. bourbon (optional)
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  

Tip:

Don't have time to soak the beans overnight?
Put them in a 4-quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and soak for 2 hours. Drain the beans and continue with the recipe.

Sort through the beans to make sure there are no little stones and then put them in a large bowl or pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches and let soak overnight. Drain the beans well, tilting the colander instead of shaking it to gently extract the water and protect the beans' skins.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the chile powders, cumin, allspice, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and ham hock. Stir to combine. Add the beans and bring just to a simmer. Cover and bake until the beans are easy to bite into but still a little mealy in texture, 45 to 60 minutes.

Stir in the coffee, molasses, ketchup, Worcestershire, and oregano. Bake, uncovered, until the beans are fully tender, 30 to 60 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. Discard the oregano stems and the skin from the ham hock. Cut the meat off the bone and chop. Add the meat to the beans and discard the bone. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To finish, bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of thin gravy, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, 40 to 60 minutes. Stir in the bourbon (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.

Breakfast Burrito

Burritos come from the north of Mexico, where flour tortillas are king. These make a complete breakfast in a package. They can be wrapped in foil to keep them warm.

• 
  
  Four 10- to 12-inch flour tortillas
  
  


• 
  
  4 Tbs. vegetable oil, divided
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup chopped white onion
  
  


• 
  
  1 large tomato, chopped
  
  


• 
  
  2 canned chipotles en adobo, chopped, including some sauce
  
  


• 
  
  2 (15-ounce) cans pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
  
  


• 
  
  3⁄4 tsp. salt, divided
  
  


• 
  
  8 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. Mexican crema or milk
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
  
  


• 
  
  1 ripe avocado, quartered, pitted, peeled, and sliced
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro
  
  

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Wrap the flour tortillas together flat in foil and heat in the oven until warm, 10 minutes. While the tortillas are heating, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato, chipotles, beans, and 1⁄2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring until heated through, for about 5 minutes.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil over medium heat. Scramble the eggs and crema or milk with a fork and add them to the pan. Cook the eggs, stirring, until curds form, season with the remaining 1⁄4 tsp. salt, and remove from the heat when they’re still slightly moist.

Lay a warm tortilla flat and arrange the fillings in a row side by side: 1⁄4 of the eggs, 1⁄4 of the bean mixture, 1⁄4 of the cheese, 1⁄4 of the sliced avocado, and 1⁄4 of the chopped cilantro. Fold up the bottom of the tortilla over some of the filling and fold in the sides to make an open package. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and serve the burritos immediately.

Breakfast Burrito

Burritos come from the north of Mexico, where flour tortillas are king. These make a complete breakfast in a package. They can be wrapped in foil to keep them warm.

• 
  
  Four 10- to 12-inch flour tortillas
  
  


• 
  
  4 Tbs. vegetable oil, divided
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup chopped white onion
  
  


• 
  
  1 large tomato, chopped
  
  


• 
  
  2 canned chipotles en adobo, chopped, including some sauce
  
  


• 
  
  2 (15-ounce) cans pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
  
  


• 
  
  3⁄4 tsp. salt, divided
  
  


• 
  
  8 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. Mexican crema or milk
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
  
  


• 
  
  1 ripe avocado, quartered, pitted, peeled, and sliced
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro
  
  

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Wrap the flour tortillas together flat in foil and heat in the oven until warm, 10 minutes. While the tortillas are heating, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato, chipotles, beans, and 1⁄2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring until heated through, for about 5 minutes.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil over medium heat. Scramble the eggs and crema or milk with a fork and add them to the pan. Cook the eggs, stirring, until curds form, season with the remaining 1⁄4 tsp. salt, and remove from the heat when they’re still slightly moist.

Lay a warm tortilla flat and arrange the fillings in a row side by side: 1⁄4 of the eggs, 1⁄4 of the bean mixture, 1⁄4 of the cheese, 1⁄4 of the sliced avocado, and 1⁄4 of the chopped cilantro. Fold up the bottom of the tortilla over some of the filling and fold in the sides to make an open package. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and serve the burritos immediately.