Sarasota's Quick and Hearty Cassoulet

SarasotaCook's Note:

This was in another little book from the grocery store check out I picked up years ago. Unfortunately, back then, I just use to tear the pages out, so your guess is as good as mine what book it was. I did change this around quite a bit, but loved the basic dish. It is very quick unlike most cassoulet recipes and I just loved how hearty this one was. It's a bit different, but really enjoyed it.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6

Yield: 4.0 Soup Bo ...

Meat

• 1 lb chicken thigh (4 boneless, skinless, cut in bite size pieces)
• 1/4 lb smoked sausage, cut in small bite size pieces
• 2 pork chops, cut in small bite size pieces (3/4-inch thick)
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Vegetables and Beans

• 2 celery ribs, diced fairly fine (save the leaves for later and chop them up)
• 1 large onion, diced fairly fine
• 3 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth (you can add more if you prefer it a bit thinner, this dish is very thick)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (teaspoon dried)
• 1 bay leaf
• olive oil (if needed)
• salt
• pepper

Garnish

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumb (I chop mine in a mini food processor, 1-2 slices of any bread. You can use dried, but it isn't the s)
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon olive oil (to saute the bread crumbs)
• olive oil (to drizzle over the dish)

Directions:

1. Base -- In a medium to large heavy pot (with a lid), add the olive oil and bring to medium high heat. Season the chicken and pork well with salt and pepper and then add to the pot along with the sausage. Cook 3-4 minutes until it starts to brown, you want it to get a little crust. Then add in the onion, garlic, celery (and extra olive oil only if necessary) and reduce heat to medium. Stir well to combine all the flavors and cook just another minute or two.
2. Wine and Broth -- Deglaze the pan with the wine scraping up all the bits on the bottom. Then, mix the tomato paste with the chicken broth and add that as well and stir to combine.
3. Beans -- Add the beans, thyme, celery leaves, and bay leaf. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Cover and continue to cook on medium low for 15 to 20 minutes. Check if you want any extra broth; this would be the time to add it. This is a very hearty thick cassoulet which is different from other recipes. But add more broth if you want.
4. Bread Crumbs -- As the main dish cooks, add the oil to a small sauce pan along with the fresh bread crumbs and saute until golden brown on medium heat. It only takes a minute or two. Remove and let cool. After it cools slightly, mix with the fresh chopped parsley. This is your garnish.
5. Serve -- Just dish up and top with the bread crumb and parsley garnish. Then drizzle olive oil over the top. ENJOY!

Reviews

[JackieOhNo!]

Okay...this is going to sound like the weirdest review ever, because I never actually tasted this recipe, but am basing the review on the feedback I received. I was invited to a potluck whose theme was French Country cooking and chose the recipe. However, I was trying to head off a horrible sinus headache and took some Claritin-D, which always leaves me with a horrible taste in my mouth and throws off my taste buds (not to mention my appetite). However, I followed the recipe faithfully, except I did use 8 oz. of andouille sausage, since that's what I had on hand. I had my boyfriend taste it for seasoning and headed out the door to much acclaim and delight from my fellow potluck-ers! None was left, and everyone was asking me if it took all day to cook. So how could I claim it's anything but a 5-star recipe? I am looking forward to making this again, and tasting it! Thanks for sharing.

[MaryToo]

Simple ingredients, minimal preparation, and in a very short time, we enjoyed this wonderful combination of flavors. A hearty, satisfying one dish meal that fills the house with tantalizing aromas and questions of "what's for dinner?" If you like cassoulet, you'll love this variation.

Next time we'll try skinless chicken breast and pork tenderloin to decrease the fat content. Rinsing the beans and using low or no sodium chicken broth should also change the nutritional values more than they seem to in these calculations.