Traditional Cassoulet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds driedgreat northern beans
- 11 tablespoonteaspoon kosher salt
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups white wine
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 duck whole leg confit
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausages
- 1/2 baguette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
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Instructions
- In a large pot, add the beans and cover them with at least 2 inches of cold water. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and let it soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. If it’s a cool day, you can leave the beans on your kitchen counter. Otherwise, pop them in the fridge for soaking.,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
- Drain the soaked beans in a colander set in the sink and rinse them under cold running water. Return the beans to the pot and stir in the diced tomatoes, white wine, onion, carrots, celery, thyme, and garlic. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 1 inch.,Set the pot over medium-low heat and slowly bring the beans to a simmer, covered with a lid. Once it comes up to a simmer, cook for 30 minutes. The beans will not be fully cooked at this point.,Set a colander over a large bowl and drain the beans and aromatics into it. Do not discard the cooking liquid. It’s not necessary, but if you’d like, pick out the thyme and garlic peels, and discard them.,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
- Set an oven rack to the center.
- Pat the duck legs dry with a paper towel. Heat a large (at least 8-quart) Dutch oven over medium heat and when it is hot, add the duck legs. The duck should render enough fat, so you will not need to add any oil. Brown them on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer them to a platter. You can reserve some of the rendered duck fat for the breadcrumbs—pour some into a small bowl.,If you are using our Easy Duck Confit recipe, you can skip browning the duck legs, as they will already be nicely browned from their time in the oven.,If you want to serve the duck in smaller pieces, not whole, cut each leg in half at the joint between the thigh and leg. You can also pull the meat from the bones using your hands. This will make them easier to eat.,In the same Dutch oven set over medium heat, cook the bacon for 5 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until it renders most of its fat, but is not yet crisp. Transfer it to the platter with the duck.,Season the pork with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. With the tip of a paring knife, prick each sausage in a couple of places. This will help them keep their shape as they cook.,In the same Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, add the pork and sausages in a single layer without overlapping. Cook them until browned all over, turning them often, about 10 minutes total. Transfer them to the platter.,Cut the sausage into 1-inch rounds.,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
- Set the Dutch oven over medium heat. To deglaze the pot, add about 1/2 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits stuck to the bottom and sides.,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
- Turn off the burner. Into the Dutch oven, add a third of the beans and spread them out into an even layer. Arrange the bacon and pork on top. Cover with half of the remaining beans. Arrange the duck and sausages on top and cover with a final layer of beans.,Pour in the reserved bean cooking liquid. There should be enough liquid to just about cover the beans (the same level as the beans). Add water if needed. If you have leftover bean cooking liquid, reserve it in case the cassoulet needs more as it cooks.,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
- Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and set it in the oven. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes without opening the lid.
- In a food processor, add the bread and pulse until you have large crumbs (about 1/2-inch pieces).,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
- Take the Dutch oven out of the oven. Remove a few of the beans, then bite into them. (They should be quite close to done. If not, continue baking until they are.),If the beans look dry, add enough of the reserved bean cooking liquid to barely cover the beans. Spread a layer of breadcrumbs over the cassoulet. Pop the Dutch oven back into the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes.,Take the Dutch oven out of the oven again, and with the back of a large spoon gently press the breadcrumbs into the cassoulet to dampen them. Bake it again, uncovered, for 15 minutes.,Raise the oven temperature to 350ºF.,Once again, take the Dutch oven out of the oven, and gently press the breadcrumbs into the cassoulet. Drizzle the top with 2 tablespoons duck fat or olive oil. Bake it again, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and glistening.,Sprinkle with parsley and serve.,Some beans, like flageolets, will absorb liquid as the cassoulet rests out of the oven, so don't be alarmed if the cassoulet appears a little soupy at first.,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas,Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze cassoulet in an airtight container for up to 3 months.,Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Source
Original recipe: View Original