Cassoulet

Let's Cook

1. Step 1.

   Combine in a pot: 1 pound dried Tarbais, Great Northern, or flageolet beans, rinsed and picked over; 8 cups chicken stock or water; (1 ham hock, especially if using water instead of stock); 1 medium onion, peeled and stuck with 3 whole cloves; ¼ cup tomato paste; 6 garlic cloves, smashed; 6 sprigs thyme; 5 sprigs parsley; 1 bay leaf

2. Step 2.

   Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the beans are almost tender but still slightly chalky, about 1 hour. When the beans are nearly parcooked, add to the pot for the last 10 minutes of cooking: 12 ounces garlic sausages or bratwurst, pricked a few times with a fork

3. Step 3.

   Meanwhile, cook in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until rendered and browned: 8 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cut into ½-inch cubes

4. Step 4.

   As the meat cooks, season: 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 pound duck legs

5. Step 5.

   with: 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper

6. Step 6.

   Transfer the pancetta or bacon to a plate. Add the seasoned pork and duck pieces in batches to the pot and brown all over. Transfer to the plate with the pancetta or bacon. Pour off the fat into a bowl and set aside. Pour into the pot: ½ cup white wine, chicken stock, or water

7. Step 7.

   Deglaze by scraping up any browned bits, then remove the pot from the heat.

8. Step 8.

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. When the beans are parcooked, remove the sausages and ham hock from the pot and set aside. Discard the onion, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Shred the meat from the hock (discard the bone) and thickly slice the sausages. Place one-third of the beans in the bottom of the Dutch oven (or a wide 4-quart baking dish). Top the layer of beans with the duck legs and about one-third of the pork, pancetta or bacon, and sausage. Layer with another third of the beans, then distribute the rest of the meat on top, followed by the remaining beans. Pour enough bean cooking liquid into the pot to come to the surface of the beans. Mix 2 tablespoons of the reserved fat with: 1 cup dry bread crumbs

9. Step 9.

   Sprinkle in an even layer over the top of the beans. Bake until the layer of bread crumbs is nicely browned, about 1 ½ hours. After 1 hour of cooking, you may “crack” the bread crumb layer all over with a spoon, then spread and pat down the crumbs in an even layer again (this helps brown the crumbs more thoroughly). Once browned to your liking, remove the cassoulet from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.