French Vegetarian Cassoulet
Curious about what’s in this week’s veggie box? Check here!
Check out a short video of me making the dish here
Spice Profile: Basil, black garlic, fennel, garlic, onion, oregano, porcini mushroom, nutmeg, nutritional yeast, red chili flakes, rosemary, tomato powder, and yellow mustard
This is my vegetarian take on a French classic. Have some crusty bread and cheese ready for this one!
Start with 1½–2 pounds fresh shelling beans, 16 ounces canned beans, or 1 pound dried beans. If using fresh beans, shell them and place them in a medium, oven-safe casserole pot with enough water to cover them by about ½ inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans are just barely tender, about 45 minutes. You want a nice, thick bean liquor remaining at about the same level as the beans. Drain the beans, reserving the liquid.
If using dried beans, soak and cook them until barely tender, reserving their cooking liquid. If using canned beans, simply drain and rinse them; you can use water or vegetable stock in place of the bean liquor.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In the same casserole pot, sauté one cleaned and chopped leek until tender. Add one small chopped carrot, the spice packet, (2 teaspoons Stock+Spice Cassoulet Seasoning) - and 2–3 whole garlic cloves, peeled with the ends removed. Sauté briefly, just until fragrant.
Return the beans and their reserved liquid to the pot. Add enough water to come just below the top of the beans. Mix well and add salt to taste.
Pour about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over the beans, then cover the surface with a layer of breadcrumbs about ⅓ inch thick. Place the pot, uncovered, in the oven and bake for about 1 hour. At least once during baking, use the back of a spoon to gently press the breadcrumbs into the oil and liquid on the surface. If the beans begin to look dry, pour a little boiling water down the inside edge of the pot.
When the crust is golden brown and the beans are tender and bubbling, you are ready to serve. Bon appétit!
