Chop the onions. Then place the onion and sunflower oil in a dutch oven and heat over a burner on medium low heat. It is best to start the onion off in the cold oil, this will give the onions a more mellow flavor. Bring the onions to a low and slow simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the onions have deepened to a yellow color but are not caramelized.

Drain and rise the beans. Add the beans, paprika, garlic, bay leaves, and a generous amount of salt and pepper to the pot with the onions. Then stir in 3 cups of water. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 90 minutes to 2 hours, until most of the moisture has evaporated, the beans have deepened in color, and the top of the beans have caramelized.

Let the beans cool and then refrigerate. I reheated the beans in a casserole dish before serving.