Cassoulet.. Beans Stew...(Recipe in english)...

One of my US best friends who went to S-W of France and eated Cassoulet, some years ago, wanted to cook a Cassoulet and asked me for my recipe.
(you can click here to see it in french... Recette en français ici.)

She translated it in a better english than me - of course- so I add the translated recipe here.


She told me that her husband said : "Uh Oh..... He said it was the BEST bean dish he's EVER eaten in his 60 years, and had to force himself to stop after 3 bowl-fuls so there'd be some left over to savor later."













Serves 6-8 people
2 1/2 hours in large stock pot or 8 hours in Crock pot on high.

Ingredients:
750 grams white beans (I found Great Northern in 900g bags - used most of one),
4 duck legs (any duck parts worked well for me),
800g lamb (I used a lamb steak I found on sale),
1 sausage (I used a package of two linguisa),
250g bacon, low salt (I actually left this out),
6 carrots,
2 26 oz cans peeled, whole tomatoes,
4 onions,
5 whole cloves,
5 cloves of garlic,
4 thyme stems, leaves on,
4 bay leaves,
parsley,
2 tbsp of sugar,
salt and fresh pepper to taste.

Directions:
1. Soak beans overnight in a large quantity of unsalted water. Drain
2. In a large pot, bring a large quantity of unsalted water to a boil, add beans and cook on a low boil for 20 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
3. Dice 2 of the onions and sautee in a separate pan until just before they brown. Put this in the pot of beans.
4. Cut the lamb into 1" pieces and brown. Put this in the bean pot.
5. Cut duck into large pieces (or use the 4 legs suggested) and brown in frying pan. Add to bean pot. 6. Cut one of the remaining onions into slices, spike the other with cloves and place these in the pot. 7. Slice the carrots into 1/4 circles or so, and add to the pot.
8. Empty both cans of tomatoes, with juice, bacon, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, sugar, and parsley into the bean pot.
9. Add freshly ground pepper.
10. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 1 1/2 hours. (4 hours in crock pot)
11. Cut the sausage into 3-4" lengths and add to the pot.
12. Cover and cook for 1 more hour. (4 hours in crock pot).

Give it all a stir and serve! As my Mom says, cassoulet grows as it's stored, or at least seems that way. As Clo has mentioned, it is wonderful re-heated.



"I've discusses substitutions with Clo, and she was most adament that chicken or turkey will not substitute for the duck, however goose would work. I cut back on the onions, and the house still smells of those that I sauteed before putting in the pot.

The fun of this dish is the variety of meats in one bowl, and pulling the duck off the bone as you eat it."