Mediterranean Style Soybean Gratin

Posted in wheat-free-meat-free.blogspot.com/ (Sources)

Ingredients
1 cup dried soybeans (makes 2 cups cooked beans)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and chopped (everything gets a medium chop)
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

8-10 mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (I used 2 slices Rudi's Gluten Free Wheat Bread)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Soak soybeans overnight in water to cover. Drain and place in a medium saucepan with fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to simmer and cook, covered, until beans are tender, 45 minutes to an hour. Drain beans, but reserve bean liquid.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in frying pan. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, garlic, and green pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add 1 cup reserved bean broth and simmer over low heat, until carrots are crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes more.

Add tomatoes (and their juice)and simmer another 5 minutes. Then, using a slotted spoon, remove all the simmered vegetables to the bowl with the cooked soybeans and mix well. Pour pan juices into a large measuring cup and add in enough bean broth to measure 2 cups. Reserve.

Wipe frying pan with a cloth or paper towel to dry. Add sliced mushrooms to pan and saute over medium heat until browned, about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix mushrooms in with beans and sauteed vegetables. Add thyme, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.

Turn mixture into a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil in frying pan. Whisk in rice flour to make a roux. Slowly add in reserved pan juice/bean stock mixture, whisking constantly to keep lumps from forming. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Pour sauce over vegetables in casserole dish.

Blend bread crumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle over bean casserole. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top and then pop in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly and crumb topping is lightly browned and CRISPY.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 6.