Cassoulet Toulousain
Quick Cassoulet

Most authentic cassoulet recipes call for preserved duck or goose, almost
impossible to obtain in this country. Here are a couple of recipes that do
not require this ingredient but and nevertheless excellent (at least my
family and I think so). I have had both recipes for many years and do not
recall just where they originally came from.

Cassoulet Toulousain

3 cups white dried beans, soaked overnight
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf (fresh if possible)
1/2 pound garlic sausage or Polish sausage
1/2 pound lean salt pork, diced
4 tablespoons chicken fat or lard (butter may be used if necessary)
2 pounds shoulder or breast of lamb, cut for stew
2 large onions, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste (4 tablespoons)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

Drain beans and place in kettle or large saucepan. Cover with water. Add
1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme, bay leaf, and sausage. Bring to boil, and simmer
slowly for 30 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside. Continue simmering
for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook salt pork in boiling
water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. In large saucepan heat chicken
fat. Add lamb. Add remaining salt and cook until slightly browned on all
sides. Pour off excess fat. Add onions and cook until onions are well
browned. Cover with water. Add tomato paste, garlic, pepper, and boiled
salt pork. Correct seasoning. Bring to boil and simmer gently. Drain beans
and add to pan. Return sausage to pan. cover and simmer for 1 hour or
until meat and beans are tender. Rub the inside of a very large ovenproof
dish with a clove of garlic. Remove lamb and sausage from pan and turn the
contents of pan into ovenproof dish. Cut sausage into slices approximately
1/2 inch thick. Arrange lamb and sausage on top of beans. Sprinkle with
bread crumbs. Dot with butter. Broil under broiling flame for 5 minutes or
until well browned. Serve hot with a chilled dry white wine. Serves 4 to
6.


Quick Cassoulet

3/4 to 1 pound meat, chosen from pork chops, smoked pork chops, country
spareribs, smoked ham scraps or slices, sausages such as kielbasa, links
or
country-style patties, chicken legs and/or thigh, lamb shoulder chop or
neckbones
1 (15 1/2 oz.) can great northern or navy beans, or 2/3 cup dried great
northern or navy beans soaked overnight and cooked in water to cover
without
salt until tender (should yield about 1 3/4 cups)
1 cup dry white wine or apple juice
1 cup canned tomatoes with juice or peeled, coarsely chopped tomatoes to
make 1 cup
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, rosemary, or Herbs de Provence
1 bay leaf (fresh if possible)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons bread crumbs, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange raw (but not smoked) sausages,
spareribs, and chicken in shallow 8x8 inch baking pan or 6-cup fireproof
casserole; bake 15 minutes to render out most of the fat; pour off
accumulated grease. While sausage, spareribs, and chicken partially bake,
trim and discard fat from other raw meats. Turn beans into strainer, rinse
under cold running water, drain well. Turn into baking pan with partially
cooked and raw meats and/or chicken. Stir in the wine, tomatoes, onion,
garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Push meats under liquid to
prevent drying; bring cassoulet to simmer on stovetop. Place on middle
shelf of oven; reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 1 hour, stirring
gently every 20 minutes and adding a little water if necessary. After an
hour sprinkle with bread crumbs if desired and bake another 30 minutes or
until most of the liquid is absorbed and crumbs are browned. Serve hot.
Reheat leftovers in covered pan on stovetop or in oven, with a little
water stirred in to prevent sticking. Serves 2.

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