THOMAS KELLER'S SLOW COOKER CASSOULET

Thomas Keller's Slow Cooker Cassoulet image

From the William Sanoma Catalog... Beloved by generations of French cooks, cassoulet is a rustic, slow-cooked dish made with white beans and a lavish assortment of meats, from duck confit or foie gras to sausages and succulent cuts of pork, lamb or poultry. Here, we feature an adaptation of the Languedoc specialty from Thomas Keller, the internationally acclaimed chef of The French Laundry, in Northern California. To simplify the dish for home cooks, Chef Keller developed his cassoulet recipe for us utilizing the All-Clad Deluxe slow cooker. Be sure to use precooked Spanish-style chorizo sausage links, not fresh Mexican-style chorizo. Spanish chorizo is available in a variety of textures; purchase a softer-style sausage, rather than a dry one, for this dish; dry sausages are best suited for slicing and eating on their own, as a tapa.

Provided by ayrolynkeady

Categories Beans

Time 15h

Yield 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 8 pieces and trimmed of excess fat
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
4 ounces bacon, thick cut, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
4 cups yellow onions, coarsely chopped (about 3 medium onions)
2 cups sauvignon blanc wine or 2 cups other dry white wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (35 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, peeled and drained and coarsely chopped
2 cups chicken broth
12 cups great northern beans, fully cooked and drained
6 chorizo sausage, fully cooked or smoked about 1 1/2 lb. total, each halved on the diagonal
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 lb baguette, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
olive oil, extra virgin, for brushing
coarse sea salt, such as sel gris, for garnish

Steps:

Directions:.
Season the pork generously with kosher salt and pepper; set aside.
In the stovetop-safe insert of a slow cooker over medium-high heat, combine the canola oil and panko. Cook, stirring constantly, until the panko is toasted and golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the panko to a baking sheet and season with kosher salt and pepper.
Add the bacon to the insert and cook until crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Reserve the bacon fat in the insert.
Add half of the pork to the insert and brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining pork.
Add the onions and 1 teaspoons kosher salt to the insert and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes and broth. Remove the insert from the heat and add the beans, pork, chorizo and garlic.
Place the insert on the slow-cooker base, cover and cook on low until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork, 9 to 10 hours. Skim off the fat, and remove and discard the garlic. Fold in the panko and the 1/4 cup parsley. Adjust the seasonings with kosher salt and pepper.
Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat the broiler.
Brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Arrange the slices, oiled side up, on top of the cassoulet, overlapping them. Broil until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
Let the cassoulet stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with the reserved bacon, sea salt and parsley. Serves 8 to 10.
Adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller, Chef/Owner, The French Laundry.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1882.1, Fat 78.6, SaturatedFat 26.3, Cholesterol 210.4, Sodium 2107.8, Carbohydrate 184.6, Fiber 26.7, Sugar 13, Protein 99.4