This recipe is vegan and open to interpretation depending on what veggies are in season.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Rancho Gordo cassoulet beans

• Whole onion studded with 4 whole cloves

• 3 celery stalks with leaves

• large whole peeled carrot

• 4 cloves garlic unpeeled

• 6 parsley stems and leaves

• 3 bay leaves

• 2 tsp.Thyme

• 1 tsp. black pepper

• 8-10 dried shitaki mushrooms

• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, any variety

• Bunch of swiss chard, spinach, or other greens

• Olive oil to drizzle on top

• Breadcrumb topping optional

• Salt and pepper
  

Instructions:

Soak the beans overnight. Drain water and add fresh water, 3 times the volume of the beans. Add the herbs, dried mushrooms, and vegetables. Bring to a soft boil. The beans will take 45 minutes to an hour to cook. They should be just tender and not overcooked.

Prepping the beans: Remove the veggies, herb stems, and mushrooms. Dice the mushrooms, carrot, and onion, and remove the skins of the garlic and add to the beans. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Saute the mushrooms in olive oil. chop and stir in the greens after the mushrooms have cooked for a bit. When the greens are wilted turn off heat.

Assemble the cassoulet: place 1/2 of the bean mix in the bottom of the cassole. Add the mushrooms and add more beans on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake in a preheated 300' oven for 1 to 2 hours. You can top with bread crumbs and turn heat up to 400' for the last 15 minutes for a crunchier top.

Remove when top is brown and crusty. Enjoy with green salad and red wine.