BEAN AND RICE CASSEROLE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the grill to medium and line a baking tray with tin foil.
  2. Prick and add the sausages to the tray, then cook for 10 minutes, or until browned all over, turning halfway through. Remove to kitchen paper to drain.
  3. Trim, wash and chop the leeks. Trim and finely slice the celery, peel and finely slice the garlic and deseed and chop the red peppers.
  4. Heat a lug of oil in a large ovenproof casserole pan over a medium heat, add the leeks, celery, garlic and red pepper and cook for around 10 minutes, or until the leeks start to soften, stirring regularly.
  5. Next, add the spices and cook for a further 2 minutes, then add all of the remaining ingredients, draining the beans first, along with a splash of water.
  6. Stir everything together well, then push the grilled sausages under the surface of the passata and bring everything to the boil.
  7. Turn the heat down to a simmer and continue to cook with a lid on for a further 45 minutes. Regularly check that it isn’t getting too dry while it’s cooking – you can always add a splash of water if it is.
  8. Have a taste and see if you think it needs a splash more vinegar, then pick, roughly chop and scatter over the parsley (if using).
  9. Delicious served with baked sweet potatoes or brown rice and a nice chopped green salad.

Steps:

• Taste broth; if bland, season to taste with salt. In a medium pot, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice, lower heat, cover and simmer until just tender, about 40 minutes or according to package directions. Fluff rice with a fork, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sauté vegetables: In a large, heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat. Add half the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning. Transfer cooked mushrooms to a plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with remaining mushrooms and another tablespoon oil, adding more oil to the skillet if it looks dry.
• In the empty skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Stir in leeks, fennel and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in spinach, chopped garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook until garlic starts turning golden, another 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees, and oil a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
• In a blender, purée 2 cans beans with their liquid, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 grated garlic clove, and salt to taste. (If your beans are unsalted, they might need more than you’d think.)
• Stir bean purée, remaining whole beans (drained), mushrooms, cilantro, parsley and cooked wild rice into skillet with vegetables. Taste and add more salt or lemon as needed; it should be well seasoned. Scrape into prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, rosemary, lemon zest, remaining 2 grated garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1/4 cup olive oil and Parmesan, if using.
• Sprinkle evenly on top of casserole and bake until golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving, topped with flaky sea salt.