Yield: 10 casseroles
For the beans:
2 lbs. white navy beans
2 ½ qts. chicken stock
4 ham hocks
1 yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
4 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
For the garnish:
½ cup olive oil
5 lbs. fresh chicken meat
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup onion, diced
½ cup bell pepper, diced
½ cup celery, diced
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 lb. Andouille sausage, diced
1 Tbsp. Worceshire sauce
1 cup diced canned tomato
For the breadcrumb topping:
2 cups breadcrumbs
½ cup melted margarine
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
To Make Beans: In a 6-qt. stock pot, combine all the ingredients. Simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hour. Drain and reserve the liquid. When the ham hocks are cool to the touch, pick the meat off the bones, chop and set aside.
To Make Garnish: Heat olive oil in a heavy duty kettle. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown lightly in the oil. Add the onion, pepper and celery and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sausage and cook for 3 minutes. Add the Worcheshire sauce, then the cooked beans. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring. Add the ham hock meat, tomato and reserved beans. Season with salt & pepper and cook for 45 minutes in slow simmer.
While bean dish is cooking, make the topping by combining all the ingredients. When bean dish is done, transfer it to a casserole dish and top with the breadcrumbs, then place it in oven and cook at 450°F for about 5 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
Recipe from Omar Rayan, Senior Food Services Director, University of Cincinnati (Aramark)