CASSOULET OH YEAH COMFORT

Steps:

• Soak the Cannellini beans in water overnight.
• Drain and top with salted water and bring to a boil then simmer for an hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Remove skin from duck and place in a large frying pan fat side down to render the fat. When crisp and cooled break into bite size pieces and set aside.
• Remove the meat from the bones and break into bite size pieces.
• Place the bones in a pot cover with salted water and simmer.
• In a 6 1/2 quart dutch oven brown bacon and sausage.
• Remove meat from pan. When cool enough to handle slice into bite size pieces.
• Caramelize the paste in the dutch oven. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil or duck fat add the onion, carrots, celery, and jalapeno if using. Cook for 8 minutes.
• Stir in herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
• Top with the meats, tomatoes, and the strained beans.
• Give a good stir. Add enough of the simmered duck stock or water to cover the beans. Place lid on and bake for 1 1/2 hours stir and check to see if additional stock is needed.
• Bake for 1 hour more. Check beans for tenderness continue baking if not done to your liking.
• Remove from oven stir a taste seasoning with additional salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
• Remove the crisp skin of the duck from the frying pan.
• To the fat add 2-4 tablespoons butter and the bread crumbs and brown a couple minutes.
• Top the cassoulet with half the crumbs and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
• Top with rest of bread crumbs and place under broiler to crisp and brown.
• Crumbled duck skin can be sprinkled over the cassoulet or.
• sprinkle on a side of a crisp salad.