Lunch: Knocks and Beans Supreme

Ingredients

6 knockwurst sausages, sliced into thirds (about 2-inch pieces)
8 slices lean, good quality smoky bacon (recommended: Oscar's Smokehouse)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 (16 to 18-ounce) cans good quality baked beans (recommended: Bush's Grilling Baked Beans)
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
Coarse black pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce or steak sauce (recommended: Lea and Perrin's thick Worcestershire Sauce)
2 red chile peppers
Small bunch thin scallions, whites and greens thinly sliced on an angle
Couple small sprigs fresh thyme and/or fresh marjoram, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 can brown bread or brown bread with raisins
Softened butter

Instructions

Simmer sausages in shallow boiling water to heat through, drain and wipe out, return to stove. While the sausages simmer, slice the bacon into 1/2-inch wide batons. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Thick cut the knocks on an angle and add them to the skillet and sear at the edges, remove the sausages and add the bacon and render until almost crisp but not-quite. Remove the bacon from the skillet to paper towel to cool but reserve the drippings. In a casserole dish, stir together the beans, garlic, and shallots and season with lots of coarse black pepper. Smooth out in the dish and wipe down the sides of the dish. Nestle the chunks of knocks into the beans, arranging them all around the casserole and allowing them to peek up and out a bit. Dot the beans with thick Worcestershire sauce. Scatter the chiles and scallions and herbs over top of the casserole. Scatter the bacon over top and using a pastry brush, dot with some of the drippings. Cover and store for a make-ahead meal. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the casserole in a hot oven on a baking sheet liner until the top surface is crispy in spots and bubbly all over. Slice the brown bread into 1-inch thick slices. On a heated griddle, melt 2 tablespoons butter and toast brown bread until slightly browned and crispy, flip the bread , and repeat.

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