Vegan Bean Cassoulet

An easy veggie cassoulet. I hate to use 2 pots, so if you have a cast iron casserole that goes stove top to oven, use that (although it is nice to have a big surface area for the bread topping). Update Jan 2011 - I forgot to give proper credit for this recipe, I believe it came from the original Moosewood cookbook, adapted from there. Having made this a few times now and as one reviewer mentioned below, you could take or leave potatoes in this. It's more filling with them, but they don't add a whole lot. When including them be sure to cut in a fairly small dice because they've got to cook through in about 45 mins. If the pieces are too large they won't be done. I've really come to love this recipe though, find a nice blend of herbes de provence, it really makes it. Bon Apetit!

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  medium onion, diced
• 1  large carrot, diced
• 1  stalk celery, diced
• 1  large  red potatoes, diced
• 6  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon  herbes de provence (there are a few great recipes on the Zaar)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1  bay leaf
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained (aka white beans, Great Northern)
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2  cups vegetable broth

• Topping

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3  slices  whole wheat bread
• 2  sprigs parsley
• 4  garlic cloves, peeled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F In a large skillet, sauté onion, carrot and potato in olive oil over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add garlic, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper and sauté another minute.
2. Combine vegetables with bay leaf, beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth in a large, lightly oiled casserole dish. Bake uncovered 20 minutes.
3. To make the bread crumb topping - combine olive oil, bread, parsley and garlic in a food processor; puree on high until finely crumbled.
4. Remove cassoulet from oven and take out bay leaf. Raise oven temperature to 400°F (205°C). Sprinkle half the bread crumbs on top; bake another 15 minutes.
5. Remove cassoulet from oven; stir bread crumb topping into beans. Top with remaining bread crumbs. Bake another 15 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. Serve immediately.