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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 120 Minutes |
Ready In: 120 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Cassoulet is a dish that just makes sense. Why does it make sense? You take fatty, flavorful meat, put it in a big pot with moisture-hungry beans, top the whole thing off with buttered fresh breadcrumbs! Ingredients:
16 oz cannellini beans soaked overnight in water |
1 onion, quartered |
1 carrot |
1 celery stick |
bouquet garni: 4 parsley sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves, whole allspice or cloves, tied with string in cheesecloth |
4 garlic sausages, preferably toulousain (sometimes i use boudin blanc) |
4 duck confit legs (optional) |
1 onion, chopped |
2 garlic, crushed |
4 oz pancetta, finely chopped |
6-8 fl oz of chicken stock (i use more than gourmet fond de poulet gold® roasted chicken stock, diluted in water) |
1 cup dry white wine |
kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste |
bread crumb topping |
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped |
2 tbsp melted butter with a smashed clove of garlic |
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, made from french baguette in food processor |
Directions:
1. Cook the beans: Place the beans in a stock pot and add about 7 cups of water, enough to cover by 2 inches above beans. Add quartered onion, celery stick, carrot and Bouquet Garni. Bring to boil then cover and cook on low heat until beans are tender, about an hour. Don't cook too long because then the beans will get too mushy and fall apart.
2. Note: Every now and again you will need to remove the froth and scum that rises onto the surface. While the beans are cooking you have time to prepare the rest of ingredients.
3. Saute the pancetta in a skillet until fat is rendered and pancetta is crisp. With a slotted spoon remove pancetta, leave drippings. Next saute the sausage until golden brown. Remove. In same pan, saute the chopped onion and garlic until soft and slightly caramelized. Once the sausage have cooled down cut them into 4 pieces.
4. Strain the water from the beans. Remove the carrot, the onion, the celery and Bouquet Garni.
5. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
6. Combine all the ingredients: Take a casserole dish and start by putting some white beans in and then the sauted onion, crisp pancetta and the sausage. Mix in some salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the boiling stock and wine. Place in oven and bake for 2 hours or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Take out of oven and top with the bread crumb mixture. Bake another 30 minutes.
7. To serve:
8. Spoon cassoulet unto serving platters, garnish with fresh parsley leaves
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