Hearty French Cassoulet with Duck Confit and Sausage

Name: Hearty French Cassoulet with Duck Confit and Sausage
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: Dried white beans; Chicken stock; Onions; Garlic cloves; Fresh thyme; Duck confit; Toulouse sausages; Pancetta; Breadcrumbs; Duck fat; Salt & pepper

A Traditional French Dish Full of Flavor

Savor the rich taste of a classic French cassoulet, simmered to perfection with duck confit and hearty sausages.

4 h 30 min
6
Advanced

Ingredients

For the Cassoulet Base

Dried white beans

1 lb (such as cannellini or great northern), soaked overnight

Chicken stock

8 cups

Onions

2, chopped

Garlic cloves

4, minced

Fresh thyme

4 sprigs

For the Meats

Duck confit

4 pieces

Toulouse sausages

4 (or another robust sausage)

Pancetta

4 oz, diced

For the Topping

Breadcrumbs

2 cups

Duck fat

2 tbsp

Salt & pepper

to taste

Preparation

Prepping the Beans

Drain beans

Drain and rinse the soaked beans.

Combine ingredients

In a large pot, combine the beans, chicken stock, onions, garlic, and thyme.

Simmer beans

Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, about 1.5 hours.

Do not let the beans boil vigorously; they should simmer gently.

Prepping the Meats

Cook pancetta

In a large skillet, cook diced pancetta until crisp; remove and set aside.

Brown sausages

In the rendered fat, lightly brown the sausages, then remove and set aside.

Warm duck confit

In the same skillet, gently warm the duck confit pieces.

Cooking Process

Assemble cassoulet

Layer half the beans in a large casserole dish, followed by the meats and top with the remaining beans.

Bake covered

Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for 2 hours.

Add topping & bake uncovered

Mix breadcrumbs with duck fat, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle over the cassoulet, and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Plating & Serving