White Bean Wild Mushroom Gratin {2 Cooking Methods}
White Bean Wild Mushroom Gratin is creamy, white bean gratin made with dried cannellini beans. Cooking instructions for pressure cooker and slow cooker! #
Place the beans in large pot with the water. Do not add salt!* Cover and bring to a boil. Remove the lid and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse. At this point, the beans may be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container until ready to use.
Cook the beans using the pressure cooker method:
Place the beans in a pressure cooker with the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, porcini mushrooms, herbs, and bay leaf. Add the stock and cover the pressure cooker, locking the lid. With the pressure cooker on high, cook over high heat until brought to pressure. Reduce the stove top heat to medium and continue to cook for 10 minutes, using the quick release method. If the beans aren't soft enough, lock the lid, bring back to pressure, and cook a couple more minutes. Drain the beans and reserve the liquid and the porcini mushroom pieces. Discard the rest.
Cook the beans using the slow method:
Place the beans in large pot or slow cooker with the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, porcini mushrooms, herbs, and bay leaf. Add the stock and cook on low heat for 1.5 - 2 hours or until soft. Drain the beans and reserve the liquid and the porcini mushroom pieces. Discard the rest.
Prepare the salsa verde, if using:
Place the parsley leaves, capers, garlic, lemon zest, juice, and 1 teaspoon agave syrup in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper as needed. With the machine on low speed, add the olive oil through the feed tube and continue processing until the the salsa verde is fairly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste and process, and taste. Adjust the seasoning as needed, and add the other teaspoon of agave to balance out the flavors if necessary, and process again. Set aside.
Prepare the gratin:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8" square baker, individual gratin dishes, or ramekins with cooking spray. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cremini mushrooms with a pinch of salt, and sauté until browned and the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Add the cremini mushroom mixture and enough of the cooking liquid to moisten the beans, and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed, stirring gently to combine.
Pour the bean mixture into the prepared dish(es) and top with breadcrumbs then the cheese. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until cheese melts and the top is golden brown. If the top doesn't brown quickly, place under the broiler. Serve as-is, or top with Italian salsa verde, and enjoy!
Notes
1 hour quick soaking time for the beans is reflected in the prep time.
*When picking through the beans, discard any that are cracked or discolored.
*Do not salt the beans during the soaking time as this can result in overly hard, and possibly inedible beans.
You will more than likely have leftover cooking liquid from the beans. Store it in the fridge or freeze it, as it would be perfect to add to soups, pasta sauces, etc.
Recipe adapted from Tante Marie Cooking School, San Francisco, CA.