Swine & Sea — French Cassoulet — French Creole Recipe

French Cassoulet

The traditional French Cassoulet is a peasant dish that is simply amazing.  Known for its richness and braising of meats and beans for hours upon hours only to have the beans have an almost heavenly creaminess to them.  There are as many variations on the meats used in a Cassoulet; the two main staples are the Tarbais beans, Saucisse de Toulouse and duck.  Tarbais beans are a heirloom bean that can only be grown and sold form the Tarbais region of France.  Navy beans are an acceptable replacement for them.

Cooked with
If you want this to taste like the version I’m writing about, start here. This is the backbone.
View Toulouse Sausage
Toulouse Sausage

Recipe

  • 1 lb.

    boneless pork shoulder , cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

  • 1 lb.

    navy beans , dried

  • 3 Tbsp.

    Kosher salt

  • 2 qt. plus two cups

    low sodium chicken stock , divided

  • 3 packets

    unflavored gelatin

  • 2 Tbsp.

    duck fat

  • 4

    duck legs

  • 3

    small carrots , thinly sliced

  • 2

    medium yellow onions , diced

  • 1 head

    garlic , unpeeled, plus 4 small garlic cloves, peeled

  • 1

    large plum tomato , finely chopped
  • Bouquet garni: 4 parsley sprigs, 3 small celery ribs, 2 thyme sprigs, and 1 bay leaf, tied with string

  • 1 lb.

    Saucisses de Toulouse
    Step 1

  • Put the pork shoulder cubes in a large dish; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

    • Step 2

  • In a bowl, cover the navy beans with 3 inches of water and soak overnight.

    • Step 3

  • Place 2 qt. of the low sodium chicken stock in a medium sauce pan and sprinkle gelatin. Stir to combine and set aside.

    • Step 4

  • Dry the pork shoulder cubes with a paper towel. In a very large, enameled cast-iron Dutch oven/casserole, heat the duck fat over medium high heat. . Add half of the pork cubes and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned all over; transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining pork cubes.

    • Step 5

  • Season the duck legs with pepper, NO SALT. Place in the Dutch oven skin side down. Cook until the skin has begun to brown. Approximately 6 - 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.

    • Step 6

  • Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from the Dutch oven. Add the carrots and onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden, about 7 minutes.

    • Step 7

  • Add tthe head of garlic, and the tomato and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

    • Step 8

  • Add 2 quarts of the broth, the bouquet garni, and the browned pork and its juices; bring to a boil. Cover the casserole and gently simmer the ragout over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

    • Step 9

  • Drain the beans. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with water and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer the beans for 3 minutes, then drain. Add the beans to the ragout and simmer until the beans are just tender, about 2 hours. Let the ragout cool, then refrigerate overnight.

    • Step 10

  • Remove as much of the solidified fat as you can from the surface of the ragout; reserve 1/4 cup of the fat. Let the ragout return to room temperature. Pick out the the head of garlic and reserve. Discard the bouquet garni.

    • Step 11

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring the ragout to a simmer. Squeeze the cooked garlic cloves into a food processor. Add the raw garlic cloves and process to a smooth paste. Stir the paste into the ragout and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    • Step 12

  • Nestle the duck legs in to the Dutch oven, skin side up. Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth.

    • Step 13
    1. Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the Saucisse de Toulouse and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over. Let cool, then cut the sausages into 3-inch pieces.
    • Step 14

  • Reduce the oven temperature to 275°F. Gently stir in the skin that has formed on the cassoulet. Nestle in the sausages. Bake the cassoulet for 1 hour longer, until it is richly browned on the surface, stopping to break and shake crust every 30 minutes. Transfer to a cloth-lined rack and let rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.