Cassoulet recipe : Food and recipes of France

Cassoulet is a staple winter dish in much of the south of France. Recipes in recipe books tend to be much more 'meat intensive' than a local French restaurant might serve, which is often more of a 'soup' of haricot beans in tomato sauce with a piece of duck and pork to keep it company.

Ingredients:

500mg white haricot beans, soaked overnight

Pork ( quandtity according to number of people

Confit de canard ( 1 portion per person)

Toulouse fat pork sausages ( 1 potion per person)

Large tin of tomatoes

5 cloves of garlic

10 crushed cloves ( I consider these indispensable!)

Tomato puree

Method

• Cut the pork into lumps, and fry until browned in some of the goose fat from the tin of confit de canard, in a large pot
• Add the haricot beans, diced chorizo, garlic, tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, pepper and crushed cloves
• Add enough water to cover, and simmer for an hour or so
• During the hour, fry the sausages, again in some of the goose fat
• At the end of the hour (or when the beans and pork are cooked), add a little more water if necessary, then mix the sausages into the beans and put the duck on top, and put the pan in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• Delicious. It is sufficient to eat just with lots of fresh bread. There are lots of variants on cassoulet recipes so don't worry too much about changing and substituting ingredients.
• Save any remaining goose fat for next time you make roast potatoes!