Rustic White Beans with Mushrooms

Another Veganomicon success! I have yet to find something from this book that I haven't been crazy about...

I made this earlier in the week with tomato couscous (also from Veganomicon) - I'll post the couscous recipe after this one.

Note: you will need dry beans for this recipe. Canned beans will not work so don't try to take the easy way out! It's worth the extra time (and it's not like soaking beans is anything labour-intensive!) :)

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2/3 cup dried white beans (Navy or Great Northern will work well)
1/3 small onion, peeled and sliced into a few pieces (big chunks are OK - don't worry, you will not be eating this)
1 stalk celery, cut into two pieces
1 small carrot, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried tarragon
Olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped (original recipe called for a leek)
1/4 lb. mushrooms (any you like really - baby bellas, cremini [I used these], shiitake, white mushrooms [hey, they have the same nutritional value as any of their fancier cousins], or a combination), rinsed and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:
*Before you begin, soak the beans for at least 8 hours. Put them in a bowl with 3-4 inches of water covering them in the morning and they'll be ready to cook when you get home from work.

1. Drain and rinse the beans and transfer them into a large pot. Add 1 cup of cold water, cover, and bring the water to a boil. Boil the water and beans for 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium; add the onion, celery, carrot, thyme, and tarragon. Cover the pot and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the beans are tender (mine always seem to take longer - I think I let mine simmer for an additional half-hour).

2. Remove the carrot, celery, and onion (you can re-use them if you're planning on making a stock). Lower the heat to low and continue to simmer while you prepare the remaining veggies.

3. About 10 minutes before the beans are done, place the garlic and a little olive oil in a cold skillet. Heat over medium until the garlic sizzles. Add the chopped onion or leek and saute 1-2 minutes. Drain the beans and then transfer this mixture to the beans. Add a little more oil to the skillet and allow it to warm through. Add the mushrooms to the oil. Sprinkle the mushrooms with some salt and saute until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add to the beans.

4. Turn off the heat and season the beans with a little more salt and ground pepper. Allow the beans to stand for a few minutes before serving.

Great with Tomato Couscous.

Reference:
Rustic White Beans and Mushrooms from Veganomicon.