Cassoulet

The French version of pork and beans. Cassoulet is a delicacy as well as comfort food.

• Ready In: 5 hrs
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  cups dried white beans, Northern
• 1⁄4 lb salt pork
• 1  yellow onion, halved
• 1  celery rib, cut in chunks
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 4  bay leaves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4  Toulouse sausages
• 1  yellow onion, minced
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon flour
• 2  cups white wine
• 4  duck confit, legs
• 2  lbs  pork ribs, cooked, deboned
• 1  dry salami, like rosette de Lyon, cut in chunks
• 1⁄2 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
• 2  carrots, diced
• 28  ounces diced tomatoes
• 1  pinch salt, to taste
• 1  pinch pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Sort the dried beans to remove any pebble or impurity; wash them thoroughly in running water.
2. Place beans in a large bowl; cover beans with water, 4 inches above the beans; cover bowl with plate and let beans soak 14 hours.
3. In a pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil; simmer the salt pork for 10 minutes; drain.
4. Drain the rehydrated beans and throw away the water; place beans in a large cooking vessel; add the salt pork, halved onion, celery, 4 cloves of garlic, bay leaves, and thyme to the beans; add water up to two inches above the beans.
5. Bring the beans to a boil and simmer, covered, for an hour.
6. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. While the beans are cooking, put the duck confit in a bain-marie to melt away the duck fat; once fat has melted away; set the duck legs aside removing as much fat as possible; set aside the fat.
8. In a skillet, use 1 tablespoon of the duck fat to cook the Toulouse sausages on medium heat, until both sides are golden brown, about 10 minutes; set aside.
9. After the beans have cooked for an hour, discard the vegetables, set the pork aside, and drain the beans but keep the cooking broth; set both beans and broth aside.
10. In a large cooking vessel that can go in the oven, use 1 tablespoon of the duck fat and cook the diced onion and minced garlic on medium heat until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes; sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic mixture and mix until incorporated; add the white wine and the bean cooking broth to the onion mixture and bring to a boil.
11. Prick the Toulouse sausage with a fork and add to the pot; add the Rosette de Lyon chunks, the duck legs and the cooked pork ribs to the pot; then add the carrots and parsley; finally cover all ingredients with the beans and tomatoes.
12. Put the cooking vessel into the oven and bake uncovered for 3 hours.
13. Season the cassoulet to taste, cover the pot and let cool to room temperature; store the covered cassoulet in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
14. Cassoulet is best served reheated. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Farenheit for an hour then serve.