There have been too many to count.
One was sweet and sultry and oh-so-smooth. Another was decidedly rough at the edges–kinda took my breath away. Then there was–<yawn>– the steady and reliable one. And on and on…and on. (<Blush>)
Now– it’s a fling with dark moodiness and the unexpected.
Beans. Glorious beans. I’m talking about beans, people.
Specifically baked beans, chili beans and refrieds.
My new squeeze is White Beans Au Vin, an interesting riff on Coq au Vin that keeps the “vin” but substitutes beefy mushroom quarters for the “coq.” It’s dark, moody and full of flavor. Topped with crunchy fresh bread crumbs sautéed in a liberal amount of good butter, this dish is a revelation.
Truth be told, you can find many great bean recipes on Blue Cayenne–baked beans, bean soups, bean salads. Just type “beans” into the search box at the top right of this page. Like they say, “so many bean recipes, so little time.”
For now, swipe right for White Beans Au Vin. I think you’ll fall in love.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 3 T. unsalted butter
- 3 medium carrots (diced into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 5 medium shallots (chopped--about 1 C.)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms (trimmed and quartered)
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/2 C. dry red wine
- 2 t. tomato paste
- 2 fifteen-ounce cans cannellini beans (or equivalent dried and cooked beans) (rinsed and drained)
- 2 C. vegetable broth
- 1 T. Cognac or brandy (or more to taste)
- 2 T. chopped fresh parsley (more for serving)
- 1 t. balsamic vinegar
- Grated Parmesan and buttered bread crumbs for topping
Instructions
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat and sauté carrots and shallots (seasoned with a little salt and pepper) for about 5 minutes.
- Add quartered mushrooms to the Dutch oven with the carrots and shallots and cook (stirring) until all of the vegetables are tender. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add thyme sprigs and garlic to the mixture in the Dutch oven. Quickly cook until fragrant. This will take about 30 seconds. Add wine and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the wine is nearly evaporated.
- Add beans, broth, Cognac, 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper to the Dutch oven mixture and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer (covered) until the sauce is reduced and thickened. I enjoyed this dish cooked down until the sauce was very thick. You can also serve this dish with a thinner, less-reduced sauce. Your call. This will take about 25 or 30 minutes.
- Remove the beans from the heat. Remove the thyme sprigs from the bean mixture and discard. Stir in parsley and balsamic vinegar. Season beans with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve topped with more parsley, grated Parmesan, and buttered bread crumbs. I used sourdough crumbs sautéed in lots of good butter. Don't omit the crumbs. The crunchy texture of the bread crumbs gives this bean dish a wonderful mouthfeel and flavor.
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This recipe is adapted from a New York Times recipe. You can find the original recipe here.
