White Bean Cassoulet

Recipe courtesy Lisa Garza Food Network

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 10  garlic cloves, diced
• 1  medium  white onion, diced
• 2  carrots, diced
• 4  stalks celery, diced

• 1 herb bouquet tied with kitchen string

• 4  stems fresh rosemary, 8 stems fresh oregano, 10 stems fresh thyme
• 1  dried bay leaf
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans or 3  cups  prepared white beans
• 2  quarts  chicken stock
• 4  links  spicy cooked  Italian chicken sausage, sliced, recipe follows
• 1⁄2 cup  spinach pesto sauce, recipe follows
•  garlic-parmesan  crostini, recipe follows

• Sauted Italian Sausage

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• Spinach Pesto

• 1⁄2 lb  spinach leaves
• 5  garlic cloves, smashed and minced
• 1⁄2 cup  toasted pine nuts
• 1 1⁄2 cups  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3⁄4 cup  grated parmesan cheese
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  fresh white pepper

• Garlic Parmesan Crostini

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1  french style baguette, cut into 24 (1/2-inch thick)
• 10  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 cup  shaved parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium stock pot. Add the vegetables to the oil, stir frequently, and cook until lightly brown around the edges.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except sausage, 1 at a time. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Stir in sausage and allow to cook for 10 more minutes.
4. Place in bowls, spoon 1 tablespoon of pesto and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sausage into each bowl. Serve with Garlic-Parmesan Crostini.
5. Sauteed Italian Sausage:
6. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the sausage with salt, to taste, and carefully place in a single layer across the skillet. Cook the sausage for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat or until browned. Turn the sausages and repeat on opposite side. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch slices.
7. Spinach Pesto:
8. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
9. Garlic Parmesan Crostini:
10. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
11. Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat. Brush the garlic oil on the top and bottom of each slice of bread. Place the bread in a single layer over a sheet pan. Sprinkle each slice with parmesan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on the middle oven rack until bread browns over the top. Serve.