Cassoulet

[Johnny West]

I'm making this Saturday and have been out buying ingredients - getting a little pricy, but it will be excellent. I'll do a little substituting but the basis is the same. I read that in France the recipes for cassoulet are as varied as the cooks preparing it.

I got this from Saveur. The last time I made it, followed Julia Child's recipe and it took four days. I'll have this down to three days. Mine will have smoked ham hock, duck confit, duck breast, pork tenderloin, two lamb chops, and sausages. Maybe bacon, too.

Cassoulet

1 lb. dried great northern beans
10 tbsp. duck fat or olive oil
16 cloves garlic, smashed
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 large ham hocks
1 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1"cubes
1⁄2 lb. pancetta, cubed
4 sprigs oregano
4 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
1 cup whole peeled canned tomatoes
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
4 confit duck legs (optional)
1 lb. pork sausages
2 cups bread crumbs

1. Soak beans in a 4-qt. bowl in 7 1⁄2 cups water overnight. Heat 2 tbsp. duck fat in a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add half the garlic, onions, and carrots and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add ham hocks along with beans and their water and boil. Reduce heat and simmer beans until tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours.

2. Transfer ham hocks to a plate; let cool. Pull off meat; discard skin, bone, and gristle. Chop meat; add to beans. Set aside.

3. Heat 2 tbsp. duck fat in a 5-qt. dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown for 8 minutes. Add pancetta; cook for 5 minutes. Add remaining garlic, onions, and carrots; cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Tie together oregano, thyme, and bay leaves with twine; add to pan with tomatoes; cook until liquid thickens, 8–10 minutes. Add wine; reduce by half. Add broth; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, until liquid has thickened, about 1 hour. Discard herbs; set dutch oven aside.

4. Meanwhile, sear duck legs in 2 tbsp. duck fat in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat for 8 minutes; transfer to a plate. Brown sausages in the fat, about 8 minutes. Cut sausages into 1⁄2" slices. Pull duck meat off bones. Discard fat and bones. Stir duck and sausages into pork stew.

5. Heat oven to 300˚. Mix beans and pork stew in a 4-qt. earthenware casserole. Cover with bread crumbs; drizzle with remaining duck fat. Bake, uncovered, for 3 hours. Raise oven temperature to 500˚; cook cassoulet until crust is golden, about 5 minutes.

SERVES 6 – 8

[Johnny West]

I'm doing it my way but it's all in there.
Yesterday I sauteed off my meat and
veggies and am just getting ready to cook
the beans. This afternoon will put it all in
the oven to bake.

http://ricksrealpitbbq.freeforums.or...t-t225-10.html

The kitchen is clean but I fear it will be a mess again
in an hour. I like to clean as I go but the stove top
takes some time and hate doing it when I'm tiered.

[Johnny West]

Dinner was a hit.

[Johnny West]

Dinner was a hit.

Here we go.....

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