Vegetable-Bean Cassoulet

Make this dish ahead of time, and freeze in individual portions.

Ingredients

1 medium-sized rutabaga, peeled and diced
1 pound shallots
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 cups diced; peeling optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram or oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup dry red wine
2 large carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 packed cups stemmed, chopped kale (1/2 pound)
6 cups cooked white peas or navy beans (4 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained)
Fresh bread crumbs, optional
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the rutabaga and cook for about 5 minutes. Scoop it out with a hand strainer and set aside, reserving the cooking water. Bring to a boil again.
Trim and discard the shallot stems, drop the shallots into the boiling water for about 1 minute. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water (for easier peeling). Drain well; then peel and chop them.
Place an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and melt in the butter, then swirl to coat the pan. Add the shallots and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the partially cooked rutabaga and the potatoes and cook until everything is coated with the butter-spiked oil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add salt, cover again and cook for another 10 minutes.
Stir in 1 teaspoon of each of the herbs, along with the wine, carrots, celery and garlic. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the broth and kale, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in the beans and remaining herbs, cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot and top with bread crumbs and black pepper if desired.