Baked Mushrooms and White Beans With Buttery Bread Crumbs
Not really a ragout and not quite a gratin, this hearty meatless casserole has it all: deeply browned mushrooms, creamy white beans, salty feta and crisp bread crumbs. The result is rich, comforting and perfect for a cold night in. Fresh bread crumbs are worth making or seeking out for texture’s sake, but panko will also work nicely. Toss the bread crumbs with melted butter, then briefly broil them for a golden, crunchy topping, a nice contrast to the dish’s silkiness. Paired with a bright salad and a hunk of good bread, this dish works well as a vegetarian main course, or as a companion to sausages and other roasted meats.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 3tablespoons olive oil
- 1pound mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake or oyster, torn or roughly chopped into bite-size pieces
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1tablespoon butter
- 1small shallot, finely chopped
- 2large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1(15-ounce) can white beans (such as cannellini or great Northern), drained and rinsed
- 4ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
- 1cup vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
- 2tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾cup fresh, coarse bread crumbs or panko
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
Step 1
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the mushrooms: In a large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to brown and crisp around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the butter, shallot, garlic and thyme, and stir until the shallot has softened slightly and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt.Step 2
Turn off the heat and stir the white beans into the skillet. Toss until combined, then top evenly with feta. Add the stock and bake until the stock is slightly bubbling and the feta has slightly softened, 13 to 15 minutes.Step 3
While the beans bake, make your bread crumbs: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Turn off the heat, add the crumbs and toss until evenly covered with butter. Season with salt and pepper.Step 4
Remove the mushroom mixture from the oven and turn on the broil setting. Top the mushrooms and beans with the bread crumbs, then broil until the bread crumbs are golden and the feta is crisp on the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. (Don’t walk away!) Scatter with parsley and serve directly from the pan.