English Baked Beans & Toast

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 lb hickory smoked bacon, fried until crispy

5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed

2 large sprigs fresh oregano (keep whole)

1 large sprig rosemary (keep whole)

2 (14 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes (I use fire-roasted)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine

2 Tablespoons Heinz 57 (or THIS HOMEMADE STEAK SAUCE)

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I used Trader Joe’s with white wine)

2 (14 oz.) cans Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained well

1 loaf crusty bread, sliced, buttered and toasted in skillet (like you would grilled cheese)

Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven. Add the onion, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, over medium heat, until translucent and tender. Add garlic. Cook for 1 additional minute. Add most of the fried bacon (save a bit for garnish,) thyme leaves, oregano sprigs and rosemary sprig, tomatoes, brown sugar, jalapeno, steak sauce, Worcestershire, and Dijon. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir in the Cannellini beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Liberally butter thick, crusty, rustic bread slices. Toast them in a skillet as you would grilled cheese sandwiches. Place one or two slices on each plate, top with a generous amount of beans. Serve with or without tea and eggs. Garnish with a little more crumbled bacon and finely chopped, fresh parsley if you wish.  We like ours with a soft-yolked, fried egg broken over the top.

from http://chindeep.com/2013/11/01/english-baked-beans-toast/