Warming Vegetarian Cassoulet with Celery Gratin

1. Heat the butter in a large casserole dish. When it’s melted and bubbling, stir in the mirepoix ingredients: onions, carrots and finely chopped celery (keeping back the larger pieces) and season generously with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often for 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables are completely tender. Stir in the bay leaves, garlic and tarragon and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the celery to the pan and pour over the wine and vegetable stock. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes at a gentle simmer, until the celery is tender.
3. Preheat the oven to 200c.
4. Stir all of the ingredients for the breadcrumbs in a bowl to combine and set aside.
5. Stir the beans and cream through the celery mixture, along with the green olives and nutmeg. Season well with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Scatter the breadcrumb topping over the celery and bean mixture and slide onto the middle shelf in the oven. Cook for 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the mixture is bubbling.

This makes a fantastic vegetarian main alongside a vinegar-dressed green salad, or a great accompaniment to cooked meat, such as chicken thighs.

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped, plus 1 head, cut into thumb-sized lengths
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ tsp dried tarragon
• 175ml dry white wine
• 300ml vegetable stock
• 1 x 600g jar haricot beans
• 125ml double cream
• 20 pitted green olives, roughly chopped
• ¼ nutmeg, grated
• Salt and pepper

For the breadcrumb topping

• 75g Panko breadcrumbs
• 25g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 40g Comte cheese, grated
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil