Cassoulet

Cassoulet is the defining dish of Languedoc — a long-simmered casserole of white beans, duck confit, pork sausage, and sometimes lamb, baked beneath a golden breadcrumb crust in the earthenware vessel (cassole) that gives it its name. The towns of Castelnaudary, Carcassonne, and Toulouse each claim the definitive version, arguing over the correct meats with a fervour bordering on religious. All agree on one thing: it demands time, fat, and patience.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 500g (1.1 lbs) dried white haricot beans or Great Northern beans, soaked overnight
• 4 duck confit legs (store-bought is fine)
• 400g (14 oz) Toulouse sausage or good pork sausage, cut into chunks
• 200g (7 oz) pancetta or lardons
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 400g (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• 1 bouquet garni (bay, thyme, parsley stems)
• Salt and black pepper
• 100g (3.5 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp duck fat or butter

Instructions

1. Drain soaked beans and simmer in fresh unsalted water 45 minutes until just tender but not fully cooked. Drain, reserving 300ml (1¼ cups) cooking liquid.
2. Brown sausage pieces in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; remove. Brown pancetta; remove. In the same fat, soften onion 8 minutes, then add garlic and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes.
3. Return meats to the pot. Add beans, reserved cooking liquid, chicken stock, and bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer. Nestle duck confit legs on top. Season generously.
4. Cover and bake at 160°C (325°F) for 1.5 hours. Remove lid, scatter breadcrumbs mixed with melted duck fat over the surface, and bake uncovered a further 45 minutes until a golden crust forms.
5. Break the crust, stir it partially into the beans, and bake 20 more minutes to form a second crust. Rest 10 minutes before serving from the pot.

Cook's Notes: Breaking and reforming the crust is traditional — purists do it three times. Duck confit legs can be bought vacuum-packed at good delis and French grocers. Do not salt the beans during their initial cooking or they will remain tough.