Our friend John Monks is an anesthesiologist by day and food-obsessed host by night (and weekends). I don't know anyone who takes making good food for his friends more seriously. Luckily for us, he's Bean People and loves to come with good dishes using Rancho Gordo.

This dish was originally his contribution to a group Thanksgiving dinner but it was such a hit, we asked if he could help us with the recipe. He says it's very simple and it might be tempting to take short cuts but the Parmesan rind/bean broth reduction should not be one of them! Ignore John at your own peril.

For me, the thrill is the hot tomato sauce with cream as you bite into one of the most sublime white beans that we grow. What a great combination. While it's not a soupy dish, you know that the tomatoes are a key element.

This would make an indulgent side dish for a holiday dinner but even more wonderful would be this as the main course with a green salad with lots of citrus or vinegar. You need nothing more!

• 1 pound uncooked Rancho Gordo Cassoulet Beans, sorted and rinsed
• 3 quarts water
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 Turkish bay leaves (the rounded kind, not the pointy ones from the Bay area)
• 1 Parmesan rind, approximately 1/4 pound (wrapped and tied in cheese cloth if you want to make the clean-up easier)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, such as Rancho Gordo Castillo Spanish Pimentón
• 1 head of garlic, outside skin peeled off and top third cut off so cloves are exposed
• Salt and pepper
• 6 ounces (12 tablespoons) butter
• 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes or 3 pounds very ripe heirloom tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 7 to 8 ounces Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup dried shallots or dried onions

Serves 6 to 8 as a side

You will need a 3-4 quart casserole, such as a 10" x 14" earthenware oval dish, or a 9" x 12" rectangle dish

1. Place cassoulet beans in a 5 to 6 quart pot and add 3 quarts water. Soak for 6 to 8 hours (optional).
2. Peel onion, leaving it whole, and then cut in half through the base so it stays in 2 pieces. Add an onion half, the bay leaves, the topped head of garlic, the Parmesan rind, and the paprika to the beans and slowly bring the mixture to a gentle boil. There should be barely any bubbling seen.
3. Simmer gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beans are just tender but still whole. Add more water as needed to keep the beans completely submerged. Test the beans every 15 minutes after 1 1/2 hours to be sure they do not overcook. Add 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) when the beans are just beginning to soften.
4. Remove the onion, head of garlic, parmesan rind, and bay leaves, and reserve only the head of garlic.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F. Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the beans to your casserole.
6. Strain the bean-cooking liquid through a fine mesh sieve and wash out the pan. Place it back in the clean pan and cook over medium-high heat until it's reduced by three-fourths.
7. Dice the remaining onion half and squish the garlic cloves out of the skins. In another pan, melt 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. 
8. Chop the tomatoes and add them to the onion-garlic mixture; saute over medium-high heat until the tomatoes have broken apart and they are reduced, with most of the liquid gone.
9. Use a hand blender to puree the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until very smooth.
10. Add the tomato mixture to the reduced parmesan broth, then add a cup of cream. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Pour just enough of the thickened liquid over the beans so that you barely see any beans under the surface of the liquid. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the dish is bubbling.
12. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) butter. In a food processor, pulse the dried shallots for a couple of seconds. Add the panko and melted butter and pulse one more time.
13. Remove the beans from the oven, cover evenly with the panko mixture, and return to the oven until the crumbs are golden brown and the sauce is thick and clings to the beans, 15 to 20 more minutes.