Cassoulet

Ingredients14

• dried white beans, soaked overnight500 g
• duck confit legs4
• Toulouse sausages400 g
• pork shoulder300 g
• smoked pork belly200 g
• onion1
• garlic4 cloves
• tomato purée2 tbsp
• chicken stock1 L
• duck fat2 tbsp
• fresh thyme4 sprigs
• bay leaves2
• salt2 tsp
• black pepper1 tsp

Method

1. Drain the soaked beans, cover with fresh water, and simmer until just tender, about 45–60 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cut the pork shoulder and belly into chunks. Brown them in duck fat, then brown the sausages. Set the meats aside.
3. Soften the chopped onion and garlic in the same fat, then stir in the tomato purée and stock.
4. Layer the beans and meats in a deep oven dish, tuck in the thyme and bay leaves, and pour in enough stock to just cover. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Cover and bake at 160°C for about 2 hours, adding a little stock if the beans look dry.
6. Uncover and bake until a golden crust forms, stirring the crust back into the beans once or twice, about 45–60 minutes.
7. Rest for 15 minutes, then serve from the dish.