French

Cassoulet

A deep, slow-cooked cassoulet from southwest France with creamy white beans, duck confit, Toulouse sausage, pork, and a dark golden crust. It is generous and rustic, with the beans absorbing the meat juices and garlic-scented broth.

▶Watch it madeANTI-CHEF · 31:59

Ingredients

• Dried haricots tarbais or lingot beans200 g
• Duck confit legs2 small
• Toulouse sausage160 g
• Pork shoulder, cut into large chunks120 g
• Salt pork or fresh pork belly, cut into chunks100 g
• Pork rind40 g
• Duck fat1 tbsp
• Yellow onion1 small
• Carrot1 small
• Garlic cloves3
• Clove1
• Bouquet garni1 small
• Chicken or veal stock750 ml
• Fine sea saltto taste
• Freshly ground black pepperto taste

Method

1. Soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight, then drain them.
2. Put the beans in a saucepan, cover with fresh cold water, bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, then drain again.
3. Stud the onion with the clove, then place it in a pot with the beans, carrot, 2 garlic cloves, bouquet garni, pork rind, pork belly, pork shoulder, and stock.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim carefully, and cook uncovered for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until the beans are tender but not collapsing.
5. Lift out the pork pieces and rind, discard the onion, carrot, and bouquet garni, and reserve the bean cooking liquid.
6. Warm the duck confit gently to loosen the fat, then remove the legs and keep them whole.
7. Brown the Toulouse sausage in duck fat over medium heat, then brown the cooked pork shoulder and pork belly lightly in the same pan.
8. Rub an earthenware cassole or small deep baking dish with the remaining garlic clove.
9. Cut the pork rind into strips and lay them in the bottom of the dish.
10. Add a layer of beans, then nestle in the pork, sausage, and duck confit, and cover with the remaining beans.
11. Pour in enough reserved bean cooking liquid to just come level with the beans, then season with pepper and only a little salt if needed.
12. Bake uncovered at 160°C for about 2 hours, adding a little more cooking liquid if the cassoulet becomes dry.
13. When a dark crust forms, gently break it and push it back into the beans; repeat once or twice during baking.
14. Let the cassoulet rest for 10 minutes before serving so the broth settles into the beans.

Common questions