Recipe#8460

Title: Classic Cassoulet

SOAR

   2      lb            dried navy beans
                        Bouquet Garni * see below
   4                    carrots
   3      medium        onions
   2                    whole cloves
   1      small  head   plus 5
   1      cloves        garlic
   1      piece         (4 oz) pork rind,
                        rolled, tied (optional)
   1                    duck (about 5 lb) cut into
   8      pieces        with giblets
                        Salt and freshly ground
                        Pepper to taste
   1      8 oz thick    sliced bacon, cut
                        into 1 inch squares
   1      can           (28 oz) whole tomatoes,
                        drained, coarsely chopped
                        liquid reserved
     1/4  teaspoon      dried thyme, crumbled
   1 1/2  lb            garlic sausage, such
                        as Kielbasa
     1/2  cup           fresh bread crumbs
1. Place beans in large Dutch oven and add water to cover by 3 inch Heat
over medium heat to boiling. 2. Meanwhile, prepare bouquet garni. Scrub 1
carrot and trim ends. Peel 1 onion and stick it with the cloves. Add
bouquet garni, onion, 1 head garlic, pork rind (if using) and duck giblets
(but not he liver) to beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, adding
water if necessary, until tender, 1 and 1/2 hours. 3. Drain beans reserving
liquid. Discard herbs and vegetables. Chop giblets and pork rind; mix with
beans in large bowl. Add salt and pepper. 4. Meanwhile, fry bacon in large
heavy saucepan over medium heat until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain
on paper
towels, then stir into beans. Discard fat. 5. Trim fat from duck and prick
skin thoroughly with fork. Brown duck on all sides in same saucepan over
medium high heat, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Pour off duck
fat and reserve. 6. Pare and thickly slice remaining carrots; coarsely chop
remaining onions. Add to the same saucepan; cook stirring occasionally,
over medium heat until softened about 5 minutes. Mince 5 cloves garlic, add
to pan, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 3 minutes. Add 1 cup
bean liquid and scrape brown bits from bottom of pan. 7. Return duck to
saucepan; sprinkle with thyme. Add enough bean liquid to partially cover
duck. Simmer covered over low heat until duck is tender, about 1 and 1/4
hours. Remove duck. Spoon off as much fat as possible from the broth. 8.
Meanwhile, add sausage to large pan of simmering water; simmer 5 - 7
minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Peel and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.
9. Heat oven to 325=B0. 10. Halve remaining clove garlic and rub over inside
of large Dutch oven, then
coat with2 tablespoons reserved duck fat. 11. Sprinkling each layer with
pepper, add ingredients to pot as follows; one fourth the beans; half the
sausage, one fourth the beans; one third the duck broth with the
vegetables, the duck pieces, one third the broth, one fourth the beans,
then remaining sausage, broth, and beans. Add bean liquid if necessary to
come to the top of the beans without covering them. Sprinkle with remaining
1/4 cup bread crumbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons duck fat. 12. Bake
covered 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake 45 minutes longer, breaking crust
and turning top crust under with large spoon 2 or 3 times. 13. Inrease heat
to 400=B0. Add some tomato liquid if cassoulet seems dry. Sprinkle with
remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons duck fat.
Bake until top is crusty and golden, about 20 minutes longer. Serve hot
from Dutch oven.
SUBLIME!
*Tip for bouquet garni, tie 1 bay leaf, i leek, 1 rib celery, 3 sprigs
parsely, and 1 pinch dried thyme in cheesecloth. (or purchase)
Serve with a Cotes du Rhone