CONTEMPORARY CASSOULET

Contemporary Cassoulet image

Yield Makes 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
3 pounds fully cooked smoked sausages (such as kielbasa), cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
2 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 cup brandy
3 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, drained
2 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 10-ounce package frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 cup (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to bowl. Add sausages to drippings in pot; sauté until brown, about 15 minutes.
Transfer to bowl with bacon. Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from pot. Add onions and garlic to pot and sauté until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Add brandy and simmer until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in canned beans, tomatoes with juices, lima beans, 1 cup broth, tomato paste, and allspice. Return sausages and bacon to pot. Season cassoulet with salt and pepper. Bring to boil.
Cover pot and transfer to preheated oven; bake 30 minutes. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Uncover; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered until cold; cover and keep refrigerated. Before continuing, cover and rewarm in 350°F oven 40 minutes, adding more broth if dry.)
Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add breadcrumbs and sauté until light golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over warm cassoulet. Bake until breadcrumb topping is deep golden, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle cassoulet with parsley and serve.