Ingredients
-
To Cook the beans
-
1kg white beansbroad white beans
-
1 white onions
-
3 cloves
-
1 bouquet garnithym, bayleaf and parsley branch tight up together
-
1 carrots
-
1 tablespoon tomato paste
-
3 tomatoescut in quarters
-
6 cloves garlic
-
1 liter chicken stock
-
200 grams pork bellyJust the rind
-
200 grams hamcured ham
-
3 tablesppon red vinegarred wine vinegar
-
3 tablespoons duck fat
-
3 tablespoons saltcoarse sea salt
-
1 teaspoon peppercornblack peppercorn
-
1 teaspoon juniper berriesdried berries
-
For the meats
-
400 grams Pork ribs
-
6 pieces confit ducklegs or tights
-
400 grams Pork Sausagepure pork
-
2 branches thyme
-
2 bay leaves
-
1 tablespoon duck fat
Directions
Authentic Cassoulet recipe: the Cassoulet is a traditional french beans and meat stew from the south of France. Broad white beans are soaked overnight then slow cooked in a tomato based stock with pork rinds and cured ham. The beans are then layered with other meats and sausages, cooked in an earthenware pot (cassole) and finally topped with confit duck before being serve. Lets admit it, this recipe is rich. but It taste so delicious that people travel far and wide to try it out.if you have the time give it a go. After all, we live only once.
Steps
1
Done
|
Start by doing all of your shopping the day before so you can soak the white beans overnightOnce you have all the ingredients, take the kilo of White beans, pour them in a large pan or mixing bowl and cover with water (a few inch over the beans). once done put them aside and let them soak overnight, ready to be used for the next day. |
2
Done
|
On the day, start by cooking the BeansCooking the beans is pretty easy: take a large pot or pan and start by padding the bottom of the pan with the pork rind and cured ham (this prevents any of the beans to stick or burn at the bottom). next rinse your beans and pour them over. next add all of the chicken stock. After that just add all of the other ingredients listed in the recipe. |
3
Done
|
While the bean are cooking pre cooked the ribs and sausageUse a large enough roasting tray (or equivalent ) then place the pork ribs and sausage in the tray. Season with salt and pepper, add some duck fat, a branch of thyme, 1bay leaf, 3 garlic cloves, then place the tray in a pre-heated oven at 220 c / 428 F to cook the meats for 15 minutes. |
4
Done
|
Once the beans are cooked start cutting the meatOnce the beans are cooked take out all of the aromatics( carrot, onions, bouquet garni etc..) Then discard the ham and pork rind and reserve them in a tray. |
5
Done
|
Dressing up the CassouletA typical cassoulet is cooke in an earthenware cooking pot called a (cassole) and it is vital that you use something similar if you are making a cassoulet. |
6
Done
|
You are now ready to cook the CassouletIn a preheated oven at 200C / 398F place your earthenware pot containing the beans and meats on the middle tray in the oven. leave to cook for 1h our to 1h 30 minutes depending on the size of your dish. |
7
Done
|
15 minutes before serving add the confit duck and further cook for 15 minutes and serveWhen the cassoulet is cooked it can be either consume right away or re heated depending on when you intend to serve. regardless of when you want to serve once your cassoulet is hot and you are about to serve. Take the cassoulet out of the oven and place the confit duck pieces on top on the beans. from there you will need to put back the cassoulet in the oven for 15 minutes just time to warm up the duck confit ( nothing longer or else they will dry out) finally when the confit are nice and warm take out the pot of the oven an place directly on the table as is. serve on each plate a bit of each meat and good portion of bean. |