    
Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a traditional meat and bean casserole dish originating from the southwest of France. Three towns are particularly famous for theirs with each using different meats: Castelnaudary (pork), Toulouse (lamb) and Carcassonne (partridge).
Ingredients:
- 500 gr white kidney/haricot beans
- 500 gr bacon
- 1 bouquet garni, salt and pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2-3 litres of water
- 1kg meat (pork, lamb and/or duck)
- 1 cup cooked/canned tomatoes
- 200g Toulouse/spicy sausage
- breadcrumbs from a baguette, optional.
Instructions:
- Soak the beans in water overnight then rinse and drain well.
- Put the beans in a large saucepan with the bouquet garni, onion, garlic, bacon and seasoning, then cover with the water, bring to the boil then simmer for 1 hour.
- Fry the meat in oil then add it and the tomatoes to the bean dish pushing them through the liquid, then let simmer for another hour.
- Brown the sausage and add to the cassoule, then simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C.
- Discard the bouquet then strain the liquid into a saucepan and boil until reduced by two thirds.
- Remove all of the meat, slice the sausage.
- Layer the meat/sausage and beans alternately in a casserole dish then cover with the liquid.
- Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs if desired and bake for 40 minutes (check the beans throughout cooking and if dry pour in more liquid).
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