CASSOULET OF WHITE BEANS, SAUSAGE, AND DUCK RECIPE

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Cassoulet of White Beans, Sausage, and Duck Recipe image

This cassoulet is filled with plenty of white beans, called flageolet, pork sausage, and duck confit. It's a hearty cassoulet fit for winter dining.

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 pounds small white beans, such as Great Northern, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water
1/2 pound salt pork or thick-cut bacon, blanched
2 halved onions, and 1 chopped onion
1 smashed garlic clove, and 1 minced clove
Bouquet garni composed of 4 sprigs parsley, 3 sprigs thyme, and 2 bay leaves
2 quarts homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1 pound pork sausages
4 tablespoons rendered duck fat or olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 pounds red tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or one 28-ounce can of tomatoes
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 whole confited duck, cut in 8 pieces, or 8 whole legs, halved on the bone
1 1/2 cups toasted bread crumbs

Steps:

  • To prepare the beans, drain and place them in an 8-quart casserole with the bacon, the halved onions, the smashed garlic, bouquet garni, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat and gently simmer over low heat, uncovered, for about an hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Remove the bacon and cut it into 1-inch pieces. Strain the beans, reserving both the beans and the cooking liquid and discarding the onions and bouquet garni. Place the beans in a bowl.
  • To cook the sausages, prick each one in a couple places with a fork and place them in the bottom of a 10-inch saute pan with 1/4 inch water. Cook over medium heat, turning from time to time, until the water has evaporated and the sausages are browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove them and slice them at an angle into 1-inch pieces.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of the duck fat to the pan with the sausage drippings along with the chopped onion and cook, stirring from time to time until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook and stir for another minute. Add the white wine and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomatoes and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Season well with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
  • To assemble the cassoulet, layer 1/3 of the beans on the bottom of the casserole and add half the bacon or salt pork, sausages, and duck confit. Cover this layer with half the tomato mixture. Repeat with another third of the beans and the remaining bacon, sausages, and duck confit. Cover this with the rest of the tomatoes and then the beans. Add salt and pepper to taste to the reserved bean-cooking liquid. Pour enough of the bean liquid into the casserole to come up just to the top of the beans. (You can cover and refrigerate the assembled cassoulet for several hours.)
  • Cover the entire cassoulet with bread crumbs, dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons duck fat, and bake for 45 to 75 minutes, or until the bread crumbs have formed a crisp crust. You can break through the crust with the back of a spoon three or four times during the cooking to allow the juices to help form that crust.
  • Let your cassoulet cool slightly prior to serving. Originally published May 3, 2003.

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