Name: Cassoulet (Bean and Meat Stew)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 300 g Cannellini Beans, cooked and drained; 180 g Duck Confit, large pieces; 160 g Pork Sausage, cut into thick pieces; 180 g Pork Shoulder, cut into cubes; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 Onion, finely chopped; 1 Carrot, diced; 1 Celery, stalk, finely chopped; 3 clove Garlic, finely chopped; 180 g Tomato, chopped; 350 ml Chicken Stock, warm; 1 Bay Laurel Leaf, whole; ½ tsp Thyme, fresh or dried leaves; 35 g Breadcrumbs, for topping; to taste Salt, use carefully because sausage and duck may be salty; ¼ tsp Black Peppercorns, freshly crushed

2 hr 20 mintotal

2 hr 10 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 25 min · Cook 1 hr 45 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Heat the measured olive oil in a heavy oven-safe pot. Brown the pork shoulder and pork sausage until lightly colored, then remove them to a plate.
Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the same pot. Cook until softened and fragrant.
Add the tomato, chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Return the browned pork and sausage to the pot.
Simmer gently until the pork begins to turn tender and the sauce tastes rich.
Fold in the cooked cannellini beans and duck confit. Transfer to the oven if needed, sprinkle breadcrumbs on top, and bake at 190°C until bubbling and crisp on top.
Rest briefly before serving and remove the bay leaf.

How to tell it's done

The beans should be creamy, the meats tender, and the top lightly crisp with a rich sauce underneath.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the cassoulet moist before baking; the oven stage should crisp the top, not dry out the beans.

What to serve it with

Serve as a hearty main dish with a simple green salad or crusty bread.

Common mistakes

The cassoulet dries out in the oven.: Keep the stew moist before baking and add a small splash of stock if the beans look dry before the top crisps.

Substitutions

Cannellini Beans can be replaced with another cooked white bean, but the texture may vary.
Duck Confit may be reduced for a lighter version, though the cassoulet will taste less traditional.
Pork Sausage and Pork Shoulder are pork products; use alternatives only after updating cultural suitability and recipe naming.
Use gluten-free breadcrumbs only after checking labels if avoiding gluten.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate cassoulet for up to 4 days. Reheat covered with a splash of stock, then uncover briefly; freeze for up to 2 months.

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Ingredients