Ingredients

　　1 pound California small white beans

　　1/2 cup onions, finely chopped

　　1/2 cup celery with leaves, finely chopped

　　1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped

　　1 tablespoon garlic, minced

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 16-ounce can tomato sauce or 6 large fresh tomatoes chopped and stewed for 1hour

　　1/4 cup dark brown sugar

　　1/4 cup thick molasses

　　1 tablespoon dry mustard

　　3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

　　chicken, veal, or pork stock (optional)

　　2 bay leaves

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

　　1 teaspoon fresh thyme

　　1 cup country cured slab bacon, diced

　　Wash beans, place in large pot and cover with cool water, boil for 5 minutes,and remove from heat; let sit for 1 hour with tight lid. In cast-iron skillet, sauté onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil on a high flame for 4 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add tomato sauce, sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cloves, and simmer for 30 minutes. Pour off water from beans and replace with 3 1/2 cups (approximately) fresh cool water or meat stock. Add bay leaves, salt, pepper, and thyme. Let simmer, covered, until beans are tender. Sauté bacon cubes; drain. Drain liquid from beans and reserve. Combine beans and tomato sauce in Dutch oven or bean pot. Top with bacon and bake in 300-degree oven for 3 to 5 hours. Stir beans now and then, adding reserved liquid when needed.

　　Grace the Table, Alexander Smalls, HarperCollins