I have actually tried to make Cassoulet a few times but never got it to work. The following recipe is the closest I have ever got to a truly delicious Cassoulet that all the family likes.
Ingredients :
- Porc Sausages (ideally Toulouse style, ie with garlic) – I show 6 in picture but 8 would be better.
- Porc belly strips (500g approx)
- Streaky bacon unsmoked (maybe 10 slices ?)
- 3 or 4 Duck Confit and some of their fat (maybe a few tablespoons)
- Butter Beans (dry) 500g (must soak in water for a full 24hours before)
- Tomatoes paste, the whole tube
- 1kg Carottes and a bunch of Celery
- 1/2L Chicken Stock
- One or 2 Onions
- Provence Herbs
- Black Pepper.
- I do not use any salt in this recipe as the bacon and chicken stock provide plenty
How to Make :
- This dish is a fair amount of “fuss”. With cooking of a few ingredients separately and then an assembly to finish the cooking in the oven.
- First put the streaky bacon into the large oven proof “LeCreuset” casserole, so that it seals and browns a little. It will release fat for the cooking of the following ingredients.
- Then seal the sausages. Not need for them to cook, just make a nice colour. Put aside.
- Do the same with the Duck confit and add a few spoons of the duck fat that comes with the tin. Brown the duck on both sides. Then put aside.
- Slice the celery, carottes and onions, put into the casserole to lift off the “suc” from the pan and gently fry the vegetables. Put aside and add the Provence Herbs.
- Now put everything back together into the main casserole. Try to mix all the ingredients without breaking the duck appart of braking the sausages.
- Add the beans and tomatoes puree to the casserole, and cover with the chicken stock. I usually make sure the whole thing is wet but not so wet that it is a soup.
- Put into the oven at 140 or 160 degres celsius for fan assisted oven. Leave in the oven for at least 2 hours. More if you want. Check half way to mix a little and ensure all is cooking as expected.
- You can finish the dish with breadcrumbs and put under a grill for a few minutes to make it look authentic !
- you can eat immediately….massive comfort food for the winter….
- It also freezes very well for pre-prepared dishes for the week.
