Cassoulet French Stew Made With Duck And Sausage Recipes

FRENCH CASSOULET - DUCK, PORK AND WHITE BEAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For the Duck Confit: Process salt, onion, garlic, peppercorns, parsley, and bay leaves in food processor until a smooth paste with some small chunks forms, about 30 seconds, scraping down side of bowl as necessary. Massage duck legs with salt mixture and place in gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Press out air, seal bag, and place in refrigerator 12 to 18 hours For the Bean Stew: Dissolve 2 tbsp salt in 3 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature, 8 to 24 hours. ** Drain and rinse well. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300°F. Rinse duck legs under cold running water, rubbing off any salt mixture. Pat legs dry with paper towels. Heat duck fat in large saucepan over med heat until completely transparent (if using canola oil, it should register about 135°F on instant-read thermometer). Add duck legs, making sure they are completely submerged in fat. Transfer pot to oven and cook until meat offers no resistance when poked with a fork, 3 to 4 hours. Using kitchen twine, tie together celery, bay leaf, and thyme, and set aside. Place sausage and salt pork in med saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 5 minutes. Transfer sausages to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Remove salt pork from water; set aside. Heat 2 tbsp oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven over med-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add sausage pieces and brown on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to med bowl. Add pork shoulder and brown on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Return sausage to Dutch oven; add white wine, using wooden spoon to scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Cook until slightly reduced, about 30 seconds. Stir in diced tomatoes, celery bundle, and reserved salt pork. Stir in broth and beans, pressing beans into even layer. If any beans are completely exposed, add up to 1-cup water to submerge (beans may still break surface of liquid). Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove confit and stew from oven and increase temperature to 350°F. Using a slotted spoon, transfer duck legs to large plate and cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, remove skin from duck legs and discard. Remove meat from bones, leaving meat in large pieces; discard bones. The cooked confit, covered with fat, will last up to one month in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, remove celery bundle and salt pork from bean stew and discard. (Alternatively, dice salt pork and return to stew.) Using a large spoon or ladle, skim fat from surface of stew. Adjust seasoning of stew with salt and pepper. Add duck meat and stir gently to combine. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. For the Breadcrumb Topping: Meanwhile, pulse bread and remaining 2 tbsp oil in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, eight to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to med bowl, add parsley, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup breadcrumb mixture evenly over casserole; bake, covered, 15 minutes. Remove lid and bake 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle remaining breadcrumb mixture over top of casserole and bake until topping is golden brown and beans are bubbling around edges of pot, about 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
• To make Cassoulet: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rinse and dry the chicken well and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes. In a large Dutch oven, over medium low heat, add the bacon and slowly render the fat. Remove the bacon to a plate when crispy, leaving the fat in the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, skin side down. Brown the chicken on both sides and then remove to a plate. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute. Deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce by half. Stir in beans, bay leaf, and thyme. Nestle chicken thighs and bacon back into pot. Add the chicken stock, cover, and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of cook time, remove the lid and cover the top with sliced tomatoes and the Garlic Bread Crumbs. Serve cassoulet with a baguette. To make Breadcrumbs: In a small sauté pan over low heat, add the oil and the garlic. Stir until the oil is fragrant, about 1 minute. Toss in the breadcrumbs and cook until the breadcrumbs start to turn golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from heat.
• Combine the herbs and salt. Rub the salt mixture into the duck legs. Place the duck legs in a large Ziploc bag, place in fridge and let marinate for 24 hours. Remove duck from bag, rinse and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place duck in the bottom of a baking dish just big enough to hold the duck in a single layer, skin side up, covering the bottom completely. Cover with the lard and oil. The fat should just cover the top. If it doesn't quite cover, pour in a bit more oil until it does. Put duck in oven and reduce the heat to200°F. Bake, uncovered at 210°F for 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and let cool inside the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove duck from oven. Strain the legs and set aside to cool. Once cooled, shred it. If you are going to keep the confit for a while, press the meat into a small glass or porcelain container and then cover with a layer of the melted fat. If you're going to use the meat straight away, don't bother with this step. But in either case, keep the fat for roasting potatoes! Covered in the fat, sealed and stored in the refrigerator, duck confit will hold up to a month.

FRENCH CASSOULET - PORK AND WHITE BEAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For the Duck Confit: Process salt, onion, garlic, peppercorns, parsley, and bay leaves in food processor until a smooth paste with some small chunks forms, about 30 seconds, scraping down side of bowl as necessary. Massage duck legs with salt mixture and place in gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Press out air, seal bag, and place in refrigerator 12 to 18 hours For the Bean Stew: Dissolve 2 tbsp salt in 3 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature, 8 to 24 hours. ** Drain and rinse well. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300°F. Rinse duck legs under cold running water, rubbing off any salt mixture. Pat legs dry with paper towels. Heat duck fat in large saucepan over med heat until completely transparent (if using canola oil, it should register about 135°F on instant-read thermometer). Add duck legs, making sure they are completely submerged in fat. Transfer pot to oven and cook until meat offers no resistance when poked with a fork, 3 to 4 hours. Using kitchen twine, tie together celery, bay leaf, and thyme, and set aside. Place sausage and salt pork in med saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 5 minutes. Transfer sausages to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Remove salt pork from water; set aside. Heat 2 tbsp oil in 8-quart Dutch oven over med-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add sausage pieces and brown on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to med bowl. Add pork shoulder and brown on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Return sausage to Dutch oven; add white wine, using wooden spoon to scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Cook until slightly reduced, about 30 seconds. Stir in diced tomatoes, celery bundle, and reserved salt pork. Stir in broth and beans, pressing beans into even layer. If any beans are completely exposed, add up to 1-cup water to submerge (beans may still break surface of liquid). Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove confit and stew from oven and increase temperature to 350°F. Using slotted spoon, transfer duck legs to large plate and cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, remove skin from duck legs and discard. Remove meat from bones, leaving meat in large pieces; discard bones. The cooked confit, covered with fat, will last up to one month in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, remove celery bundle and salt pork from bean stew and discard. (Alternatively, dice salt pork and return to stew.) Using large spoon or ladle, skim fat from surface of stew. Adjust seasoning of stew with salt and pepper. Add duck meat and stir gently to combine. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. For the Breadcrumb Topping: Meanwhile, pulse bread and remaining 2 tbsp oil in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, eight to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to med bowl, add parsley, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup breadcrumb mixture evenly over casserole; bake, covered, 15 minutes. Remove lid and bake 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle remaining breadcrumb mixture over top of casserole and bake until topping is golden brown and beans are bubbling around edges of pot, about 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
• To make Cassoulet: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rinse and dry the chicken well and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes. In a large Dutch oven, over medium low heat, add the bacon and slowly render the fat. Remove the bacon to a plate when crispy, leaving the fat in the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, skin side down. Brown the chicken on both sides and then remove to a plate. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute. Deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce by half. Stir in beans, bay leaf, and thyme. Nestle chicken thighs and bacon back into pot. Add the chicken stock, cover, and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of cook time, remove the lid and cover the top with sliced tomatoes and the Garlic Bread Crumbs. Serve cassoulet with a baguette. To make Breadcrumbs: In a small sauté pan over low heat, add the oil and the garlic. Stir until the oil is fragrant, about 1 minute. Toss in the breadcrumbs and cook until the breadcrumbs start to turn golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from heat.
• Combine the herbs and salt. Rub the salt mixture into the duck legs. Place the duck legs in a large Ziploc bag, place in fridge and let marinate for 24 hours. Remove duck from bag, rinse and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place duck in the bottom of a baking dish just big enough to hold the duck in a single layer, skin side up, covering the bottom completely. Cover with the lard and oil. The fat should just cover the top. If it doesn't quite cover, pour in a bit more oil until it does. Put duck in oven and reduce the heat to200°F. Bake, uncovered at 210°F for 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and let cool inside the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove duck from oven. Strain the legs and set aside to cool. Once cooled, shred it. If you are going to keep the confit for a while, press the meat into a small glass or porcelain container and then cover with a layer of the melted fat. If you're going to use the meat straight away, don't bother with this step. But in either case, keep the fat for roasting potatoes! Covered in the fat, sealed and stored in the refrigerator, duck confit will hold up to a month.

CASSOULET (FRENCH STEW MADE WITH DUCK AND SAUSAGE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. FOR THE BEANS: In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Saute the onions and celery for 4 minutes, or until they are slightly wilted.
• Add the beans, salt, cayenne, water and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until beans are tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 2 hours.
• FOR THE MEATS: In a large oven proof skillet, over medium high heat, combine the flour and oil. Stirring constantly, make a medium brown roux.
• Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, carrots, salt and cayenne. Stirring constantly, cook for 4 minutes or until vegetables are slightly wilted.
• Add the duck legs and sausages and cook for 3 minutes on each side.
• Add the chicken broth and stir the mixture until the roux and broth are combined and mixture thickens. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any brown particles. Bring to a boil. Add the beans and duck meat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes.
• FOR THE GRATINE: In a mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, and olive oil. Mix well. When the bean/meat mixture is cooked, spoon the gratine evenly over the top and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon a serving of the mixture from the pan onto a plate and add garnishments.

CASSOULET WITH DUCK AND HOT SAUSAGES

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with tepid water, add the beans, set over low heat and bring slowly to a boil. Remove from the heat and let the beans soak for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Put the pork rind into a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Rinse with cold water and cut into pieces about 1 inch square. Wrap in cheesecloth, tie into a bundle and set aside.
• When the beans have finished soaking, add the pork rind, the onion stuck with cloves, the carrots and the bouquet garni. Add more water if necessary to cover the beans, bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 112 hours or until the beans are tender but still slightly firm. Remove the scum that will rise to the surface.
• Cut 1 1/2 pounds of the bacon into lardons 1 inch by 1/2 inch, cover them with cold water in a pan and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.
• Cut the ducks into serving pieces with poultry shears or a heavy sharp knife. Cut the sausage into 1-inch slices.
• Cut the remaining bacon into small pieces and place it with 1 tablespoon of water into a heavy, 6-to-8-quart pot. Set over low heat to render about 4 tablespoons of fat. Discard the bacon and leave the fat in the pot.
• Thoroughly dry the duck pieces and add them to the pot with the sausage and prepared lardons, and brown the duck evenly on all sides, about 15 minutes. (If the pot isn't big enough, use a second pot or heavy skillet.) Add the sliced onions. When everything is browned, cover with stock, stir in the tomato paste and bring to a boil, stirring. Add the garlic. Sprinkle with pepper, lower the heat and simmer for at least 45 minutes, or until the duck is tender. If the duck is cooked before the beans, turn off the flame and let it wait, covered.
• When the beans are tender, discard the pork rind and the bouquet garni, and add the beans and their cooking juice to the duck. Simmer together until the flavor is nicely blended. With a spoon or bulb baster, remove any fat that has risen to the surface. Remove the beans to a warm serving platter with a slotted spoon, and arrange the meat on top of them. Reduce the cooking liquid to 2 cups and strain. Taste and correct the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and beans, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S QUICK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Add bacon to a large, cold oven-ready skillet. Place over medium heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, until almost crisp. Transfer to a bowl, reserving the grease in the pan.
• Stir in sausage slices; cook 3-4 minutes. Add chicken thigh pieces; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until browned. Remove meat to the plate with bacon. Discard all the oil, but don't wipe out the pan.
• Add chopped onion and turn the heat to medium-low; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add 1 cup of chicken stock.
• Mash about 1/4 of the beans in a small bowl, stir all the beans into the pan.
• Stir in cayenne, rosemary and thyme. Add reserved meat back to the pan. Stir in remaining cup of stock or more if needed to cover. Return to simmer.
• Mix bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and melted butter together in a small bowl.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 7 inches from the heat source.
• Sprinkle the cassoulet with half the bread crumb mixture. Place under the broiler and cook about 5 minutes, until browned.
• Remove the pan and push bread crumbs down into the cassoulet. Top with remaining bread crumb mixture. Return to oven and continue broiling 5 more minutes, until browned.
• Turn off the broiler and leave in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy.

SAUSAGE CASSOULET

Steps:

• Set the slow cooker to low (ours had a 5-litre capacity). Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and brown the sausages on each side - you don't have to cook them all the way through. Set aside on a plate. Put the lardons, onion and celery in the pan and cook over a medium heat for 8-10 mins until the onion is translucent and the lardons crisp. Stir in the garlic, paprika and thyme, and fry for 3 mins.
• Pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by half, around 5-10 mins. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, stock, both lots of beans, the sugar and vinegar. Stir until combined and bring to the boil. Pour into the slow cooker with the sausages. Cover and cook for 6-8 hrs. Serve with crusty bread.

CHEF JOHN'S CASSOULET

Steps:

• Rinse soaked beans and drain.
• Pour broth into a large pot. Add chopped pancetta, bones from duck confit, and the drained beans. Tie bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme sprigs, and garlic into a small square of cheesecloth to create the bouquet garni; add to the pot. Stir. Bring to a simmer over high heat; skim foamy scum that forms, if desired. Reduce heat to low until beans are almost tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Sprinkle pork pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; brown the pork pieces, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add sausage to the skillet and cook in the same oil, turning until nicely browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut sausages in half and transfer to bowl with pork pieces.
• Remove fat and skin from duck confit and add them to the same skillet. Cook over medium heat until fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Transfer all fat and browned pieces from the skillet to a mixing bowl. Add melted butter. Stir in bread crumbs and chopped parsley; stir until mixture looks like damp sand. Mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup broth.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place onions, carrots, and celery in the same skillet used to brown the meats; add pinch of salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until onions are translucent and mixture turns golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook and stir until tomato paste starts to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan, 3 or 4 minutes. Pour in white wine; cook and stir until most of the wine evaporates, 5 or 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Drain beans over a large bowl to retain all the cooking liquid. Remove bones and bouquet garni.
• Place drained beans in large shallow baking dish or cast iron skillet (about 12 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep). Stir in cooked vegetables and about 1 cup broth. Add pork pieces and distribute evenly among the beans. Top with the shredded duck confit. Nestle the sausage halves into the bean mixture.
• Ladle cooking liquid into the baking dish until beans are nearly submerged. Spread bread crumb mixture evenly over the top but don't press into the liquid. Use your fingertips to make gentle indentations on the crumb surface for better browning.
• Bake in preheated oven until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and create a small "well" in the center of the cassoulet crust. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid (or as needed) into the well to rehydrate mixture. Use a fork to gently poke into the cassoulet to ensure the liquid is fairly evenly distributed but try not to disturb the crusty surface.
• Continue baking until cassoulet surface is crispy and caramelized, the meat is fork tender, and the beans are creamy and tender, about 30 to 45 more minutes.
• Serve in large bowls with a spoonful or 2 of hot cooking liquid. Top with chopped fresh parsley.