Italian Cassoulet (Italian Chili)

photo by Cream Puff


- Ready In:
- 2hrs 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
12-20
ingredients
- 10 hot Italian sausages, casings removed
- 1 large onion, minced (white, yellow or whatever)
- 3 green bell peppers, chopped, 1/2 inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 habanero peppers, finely minced
- 12 -15 garlic cloves, minced (1 bulb)
- 12 -15 garlic cloves, chopped (1 bulb)
- 28 ounces whole canned tomatoes, with liquid
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 lbs dried navy beans, soaked overnight, partially cooked, drained
- 3 cups chicken broth (R.L. Schreiber is best)
- 2 tablespoons cracked dried rosemary
directions
- Simmer beans about an hour to an hour and a half in plenty of water until almost done. You don't want the beans disintegrating during the next stage of cooking.
- Drain and set aside.
- Add olive oil to large, heavy pot.
- Cook sausage, pepper, onions and coarse garlic until sausage is no longer pink, stirring to break up meat into chunks, about 3/8” or so.
- Add tomatoes, minced garlic, beans, broth, habaneros and rosemary.
- Bring to simmer, cover and simmer an hour or so – until beans are done and rosemary has absorbed enough liquid to be comfortably edible.
- Refrigerate for one day.
- Then reheat amounts as needed and serve with Pugliese and a fine Chianti.
- Makes about a gallon.
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Reviews
-
This is a good recipe with great potential. A few things kept me from giving it 5 stars. As instructed, I simmered my overnight-soaked beans about an hour until I thought they were "almost done," but perhaps Bustard's idea of "almost done," and mine are different, because after I completed the recipe, I realized I should have cooked the beans longer in that first step. I should have brought the beans to a boil, reduced the heat, covered the pot and then simmered an hour. Nevertheless, as I plugged through the recipe, careful to follow the ingredient list and instructions, I felt like 3 cups of chicken broth wasn't enough liquid (even with the tomatoes) to finish cooking the beans (since I had drained them), so I added about 2 more cups of broth. (While I didn't use R.L. Schreiber, I did use a good quality boxed broth.) Also, the directions didn't state when to add the onions, so I added them when I cooked the sausage, pepper & course garlic, which worked out fine. Having said all that, I want you to know that the end result is flavorful and delicious! Don't be afraid of using all that garlic, or even the habanero. I suppose you could substitute the habanero for a milder pepper, but DO NOT cut the garlic short. I will definitely try this recipe again. I may sub. Italian seasoning for some of the Rosemary. Thank you, Blue Bustard, for sharing this recipe. It's a great concept! *Made for PAC Spring 2010
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Didn't know I liked to cook until after I retired. I don't like to use measuring spoons - I like to use the palm of my hand. I love Italian foods - even pizza and spaghetti.
I like Tex/Mex and I like it spicy hot!!!