In French, “cocos” is a generic term for white beans – which happen to make a great vegetarian version of coq au vin. Buy pre-sliced mushrooms to save time.
Ingredients
- 20 oz thickly sliced mushrooms
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, separated
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped into ½” pieces
- 1 large carrot, chopped into ½” cubes
- 1 Tbsp chopped or grated garlic (~3 cloves)
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp Cognac or brandy
- 1 cup dry red wine (ideally, not very tannic)
- 1 cup beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
- salt, pepper, soy sauce to taste
- 2 15-oz cans cooked white beans (about 3.5 cups), drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (or mild, buttery olive oil)
- 2 tsp minced flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F with a convection fan on, and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the sliced mushrooms with 2 Tbsp olive oil and spread out evenly on the sheet pan. Roast 18-20 minutes until browned; remove the sheet from the oven, season mushrooms with salt and pepper, and set aside for later. Turn off the oven so you can use it to warm dishes later.
While the mushrooms are roasting, prep all the chopped vegetables, and drain and rinse the beans. In a wide straight-sided skillet or dutch oven on medium heat, add 2 Tbsp olive oil with the thyme and bay leaf; stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped onions, carrot, a big pinch of salt and pepper, and cook the vegetables gently until softened and starting to color, about 8-10 minutes.
Stir in the chopped garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the roasted mushrooms (along with any juice from their roasting pan) and the cognac, and cook 30 seconds more. Pour in the red wine and stock and simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are completely soft. Taste for seasoning, adding a splash of soy sauce or salt and pepper to taste.
Gently fold in the drained white beans and the butter. Once the beans are heated through, ladle into warmed serving bowls and sprinkle with minced parsley. Serve with crusty bread and your favorite red wine.