French Onion Sausage and White Bean Bake

Hubby dubbed this a "hearty" meal; not super fancy, just fill you up and make you happy food. Perfect winter fare, and he went back for seconds. I really enjoyed it and the leftovers the next day. Kids were indifferent but I would make it again! I suspect a can of diced tomatoes would make them love this.

French Onion Sausage and White Bean Bake
serves 6

8 oz baguette, cut into 1‐inch pieces
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil, plus extra as needed
14 oz kielbasa sausage, sliced into ½‐inch pieces
1 large onion, quartered through root end and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 fennel bulb, divided into 2 tbsp minced fronds, bulbs halved, cored, and sliced thin (discard stalks)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp minced fresh thyme or ¾ tsp dried
¾ tsp black pepper
1 tsp Calabrian chili paste, or ½ tsp red pepper flakes or Tabasco
½ cup dry sherry
2 (15-oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, divided
1-1¼ cups broth (chicken, beef, or mushroom/veggie) (use less broth for a thicker casserole, more for a little more soupy finish)
1 bay leaf
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated or microplaned
4 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded (1 cup)
2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (⅔ cup)

Heat oven, with a rack in the center position, to 450ºF. Toss the baguette pieces together with ¼ cup water in large bowl, squeezing bread gently until water is absorbed. Lightly season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with 5 tbsp olive or avocado oil. Toast in the oven 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large plate.

Add a small drizzle of oil to an oven safe 12-inch skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the sliced kielbasa and cook on both sides until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Set the sausage aside.

Add or remove oil from the skillet as needed so that there are 2 tablespoons fat remaining. Add the quartered and sliced onion, the thinly-sliced fennel bulb, and ½ cup water to fat left in skillet and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Loosely cover and cook until the water has evaporated and the onions start to sizzle, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Uncover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the onions are softened and well browned. Stir often and adjust heat as needed to prevent scorching. This caramelization should take about 20 minutes.

Increase heat to medium. Add the minced garlic cloves, minced fresh or dried thyme, black pepper, and chili paste, flakes, or Tabasco, and cook for 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant. Deglaze with the dry sherry, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in half of the cannellini beans, broth, and bay leaf and bring to simmer. In a medium bowl, smash remaining beans with a fork until a thick paste is formed. Add the smashed beans back into the skillet and stir to combine. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the stock is simmering, about 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and sausage to the pan. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Discard bay leaf, then arrange reserved bread evenly over bean mixture. Sprinkle with the shredded and grated cheeses. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the minced fennel fronds and serve.