Description
Ina Garten’s classic French cassoulet marries rustic Provençal traditions with rich, hearty flavors. Slow-cooked white beans, tender duck confit, and savory sausages create a remarkable culinary journey that brings comfort and elegance to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 3 pounds boneless lamb leg or pork shoulder
- 1 pound Polish or bratwurst sausage
- 4 duck or chicken legs, cut into two pieces
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 ½ cups large dice Spanish onions
- 1 ½ cups large dice carrots
- 1 ½ cups large dice celery
- 4 fresh tomatoes, large dice
- 6 bay leaves
Herbs, Spices, and Other Ingredients:
- 1 pound navy beans, soaked overnight
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 5 cups water or chicken bouillon
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup fresh marjoram leaves, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup + 1/8 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons clarified butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating it to 375°F (190°C). Carefully remove excess skin from the poultry, then crisp it in the oven for approximately 15 minutes. Create a crispy topping by pulverizing the dried skin with breadcrumbs, olive oil, and finely chopped thyme leaves. Reserve this mixture for later use.
- Select a heavy-bottomed skillet and melt clarified butter over medium-high heat. Meticulously sear the selected meats – duck, lamb, and sausage – until a rich, golden-brown crust forms. Carefully transfer the browned proteins to a spacious roasting pan.
- Utilize the same skillet to caramelize diced onions, chopped carrots, and sliced celery until they develop a deep, rich color. Introduce diced tomatoes, robust red wine, and water to the vegetable medley. Bring the liquid to a vigorous boil, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Thoroughly drain the pre-soaked navy beans and incorporate them into the vegetable mixture along with fragrant herbs. Gently pour this aromatic combination over the arranged meats in the roasting pan. Securely cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and slow-roast in the oven for approximately 3 hours, or until the meats reach a meltingly tender consistency.
- Delicately remove the meats from the roasting pan. Strain the cooking liquid from the beans and vegetables. Partially puree a portion of the mixture to create a luxuriously thick sauce. Fine-tune the seasoning to taste. Artfully arrange the sliced meats atop the beans, generously sprinkle the reserved crispy skin mixture, and briefly broil until the topping achieves a light golden-brown hue.
Notes
- Capture the essence of French countryside cooking with this transformative one-pot marvel that turns humble ingredients into a luxurious feast.
- Dried duck or chicken skin becomes a crispy, flavor-packed breadcrumb topping that elevates the entire dish with a delightful crunch.
- Searing meats unlocks deep caramelization, infusing every bite with intense, complex flavor profiles that dance on your palate.
- Slow-cooking magic transforms navy beans into a creamy, protein-rich foundation that anchors this rustic Mediterranean-inspired masterpiece.
- Fresh herbs and wine weave sophisticated aromatics throughout the dish, turning a simple peasant recipe into a gourmet experience.
- Strategic broiling creates a golden-brown crust that provides the perfect textural contrast to the tender, flavor-packed ingredients beneath.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 660
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg