Valeries Comfy Cassoulet Recipes

VALERIE'S COMFY CASSOULET

Steps:

• For the cassoulet: Combine the dried beans, 1 tablespoon salt and 8 cups hot water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and cover with a lid. Let sit for 1 hour, until the beans are "al dente" (softened but still with some bite). Drain the beans and rinse under cold water.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bacon lardons. Slowly render the fat out of the bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
• Increase the heat to medium and add the sausages to the rendered bacon fat. Brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Drain on the baking sheet.
• Season the chicken thighs and drumsticks generously on both sides with salt and pepper. In two batches, add the chicken to the Dutch oven and cook until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on the baking sheet.
• Stir the onions, carrots, fennel and celery into the rendered fat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until softened, 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste; cook for another 2 minutes, until evenly combined with the vegetables and just beginning to toast. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, white beans, parsley, rosemary and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
• Cut the sausages on the bias into thin rounds and add them to the pot along with the bacon, stirring to combine. Transfer the cassoulet to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with the chicken thighs and drumsticks; drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the chicken.
• Place the baking dish on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until the top of the cassoulet turns a rich, deep brown color, the liquid has reduced and the beans have risen to the surface, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
• For the breadcrumb topping: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add the breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toast the breadcrumbs until golden brown, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and parsley.
• To serve: Garnish the cassoulet with the breadcrumb topping and some fennel fronds. Serve immediately!

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.

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.