CASSOULET
Ingredients
140g bacon, smoked or unsmoked
4 -6 large sausages, preferably toulouse, a good cumberland is also good.
ƒ-4 fresh duck legs if not using confit)
2 tins of haricot beans or soak 400g dried beans overnight in lots of cold water
1 stick of celery (optional)
1 small onion
1 medium carrot
3 large garlic cloves or more if liked
2 ripe plum tomatoes (optional)
25g goose or duck fat or 30ml oil
1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, thyme and parsley)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
TO FINISH
2-4 confit duck legs
60g goose fat or 30ml olive oil
40g dried breadcrumbs
(I keep breadcrumbs in the freezer, they are made from crusts etc of all kinds of bread, toast lightly in the oven to dry out)
1 garlic clove finely chopped
A handful of coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley.
Red wine vinegar
Serves: 2 or three hungry people
Source: Raymond Blanc
Method
Cut the bacon into small pieces
If using dried, soaked beans, drain them of their soaking water, tip into a large pan, add bacon, cover with fresh water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Drain the beans and bacon, discard the cooking water.
If using tinned beans, rinse and keep ready.
Peel and onion and carrot then roughly chop with the celery.
Peel the garlic cloves but leave whole.
If using tomato, cut into each into 8 pieces.
Preheat the oven to 100-120C
Heat the goose fat or oil in either a flame proof casserole or deep saute pan. If the oven dish you have is not flame proof, use a large frying pan or saucepan
Saute the celery, onion, carrot and garlic for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes an herbs, cook slowly for about 5 minutes, let the vegetables brown.
(Add the fresh duck legs and saute)
Add the sausages, beans, bacon and 1 litre of water. If using tinned beans then add 500ml water.
Bring to the boil, skim off any scum, add salt and pepper.
Transfer to your oven proof dish or put the casserole in the oven.
Cook uncovered for 2 hours, stirring once or twice.
The beans should now be soft and creamy in texture with a thick sauce around them. Cook longer if needed.
Melt the finishing fat in a pan, add the breadcrumbs and garlic, stir together well. Take off heat.
Remove from the oven, add the confit of duck legs, burying in the beans.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the cassoulet and cook further. If dried beans used an further 2 hours is best. For tinned beans anytime from 40 minutes to 2 hours, add a little more water if needed.
The breadcrumbs will form a crunchy crust, take out when done, sprinkle with parsley and serve in large bowls, giving a sausage and duck leg for each portion with plenty of beans, sprinkle with a little red wine vinegar.
Serve with crusty bread and salad.