Cassoulet 2.0
This recipe is a combination of many recipes. I prefer more vegetables to meat, so that is what I did. It is very rich.
There are apparently three regional versions of cassoulet, Castelnaudary, Carcassonne, and Toulouse. Feel free to tailor this recipe any way you desire. I did not bother with the breadcrumb topping that is occasionally a part of this dish.
Serves six to eight.
1 lb. dried Tarbais, Great Northern, or cannellini beans, soaked overnight, then drained
Bouquet garni made with a bunch of parsley, thyme, and 2 bay leaves
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 cup diced pancetta or bacon (optional)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
Begin by combining all above ingredients in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook beans for about one to one and a half hours, until tender. Drain and set aside. Discard bouquet garni.
For cassoulet:
Preheat oven to 325. Get out your grandma’s big Dutch oven.
Add:
2 Tbsp. duck fat or bacon fat.
Sauté:
1 big chopped onion
2 cups chopped carrots
6 cloves chopped garlic
Then add in layers:
The beans
4 legs duck confit
2 smoked duck breasts, cut into thirds
1 package D’Artagnan duck and Armagnac sausage
1 kielbasa, cut into chunks. I recommend Schaller and Weber, or Cromer’s Market, but Hillshire Farms will do in a pinch.
Add:
28-oz. can of good quality diced tomatoes, like Muir Glen fire-roasted
1 pint of demi-glace, available at Citarella
Then add enough water to barely reach top of meat, veg, and beans.
Bring to boil on top of stove, then transfer uncovered to oven. Bake for several hours, stirring occasionally. It should thicken up a bit as it cooks. You can have it soupy if you like, or drier. That is up to you.
At this point you can serve as is, or take the meat off the duck legs and discard. The meat will already be falling off the bones. I also discard the skin at this point.
This is excellent the second day and can also be frozen. You went to all that work, why not freeze some for another day?
Serve with a tart, light salad and perhaps a really, really good cheese.