Description
Hearty French cassoulet brings rustic comfort from southwest France’s culinary landscape, blending rich white beans, tender meats, and aromatic herbs into a soul-warming dish. Robust flavors and traditional cooking methods promise a delicious journey through classic French countryside cuisine you’ll savor with each satisfying spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 4 duck confit legs, halved
- 6 Toulouse sausages
- 500 grams (17.6 ounces) salted pork belly
Beans and Vegetables:
- 1 kilogram (35.2 ounces) dried haricot blanc beans, soaked overnight
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 head garlic, peeled and sliced
Herbs and Fats:
- 65 grams (2.3 ounces) duck or goose fat
- 1 bouquet garni (leek, celery, thyme, bay, parsley stalks)
Instructions
- Slice pork belly into robust, bite-sized pieces while heating the oven to 180°C.
- Gently caramelize minced garlic and chopped onions in rendered duck fat until translucent and fragrant.
- Combine prepared beans, chunked pork, liquid, and aromatic herbs in a large cooking vessel. Carefully bring mixture to a gentle simmer, methodically removing any foam that surfaces.
- Cover the pot and transfer to preheated oven, allowing ingredients to meld and tenderize for approximately 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, render sausages in remaining duck fat until achieving a rich, golden-brown exterior, then slice diagonally into attractive medallions.
- Elevate oven temperature to 220°C and strategically nestle sliced sausages and duck pieces into the bean mixture.
- Roast uncovered, allowing the cassoulet to develop a gloriously crisp, amber-hued crust for 45 minutes.
- Present the rustic cassoulet directly from its cooking vessel, accompanied by crusty artisan bread for an authentic French dining experience.
Notes
- Swap duck fat with olive oil for a lighter version suitable for health-conscious diners.
- Experiment with different bean varieties like cannellini or great northern beans for unique texture and flavor profiles.
- Prepare the cassoulet a day ahead to let flavors develop and intensify, creating a more complex taste experience.
- Consider using plant-based sausages and omitting meat for a vegetarian adaptation that maintains the dish’s rich, hearty essence.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 840
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 65 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 38 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg