Servings: 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high
Ingredients
- 3 540-ml cans of white beans, rinsed and drained
- 500 g mixed mushrooms, quartered
- 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, washed and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil
- 500 ml (2 cups) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) white miso
- 125 ml (½ cup) 35% cooking cream
- 100 g fresh baby spinach
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) fresh chives, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
- In a hot skillet, sauté the mushrooms in 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of olive oil, in batches, until they are golden brown. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté the leeks in the remaining oil for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
- Transfer the leeks and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Add the white beans, vegetable broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Season with pepper, cover, and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the leeks are very tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Using a spoon or potato masher, lightly mash about a quarter of the beans directly in the slow cooker to naturally thicken the sauce.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the white miso in a ladleful of hot liquid from the slow cooker. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker, then add the cream and baby spinach. Stir gently, cover, and continue cooking on low for an additional 15 minutes, until the spinach has wilted and the mixture is thoroughly heated.
- Add the lemon juice and fresh chives. Stir, taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed, taking into account the salt content of the miso. Serve piping hot.
