Basque Sausage Recipes

CASSOULET TOULOUSAIN LA COTE BASQUE

Steps:

• Soak beans overnight in cold water to cover.
• Cut each duck into 10 pieces (legs, thighs, wings, breast cut in half). Salt and leave overnight in refrigerator.
• Drain beans and put them in a large casserole or kettle. Add water to cover. Simmer two minutes, drain and add fresh water to cover. Add the onions, carrots and bouquet garni. Bring to boil, turn down and simmer gently over low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
• In a preheated 325-degree oven, roast the pork loin for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it has reached an internal temperature of 175 to 180 degrees.
• Simmer rind in water to cover for two minutes and cut into 1/4-inch strips and then again into small triangles. Simmer in fresh cold water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In a large frying pan, fry the pieces of duck, skin down, until the skin is golden. Reserve the fat for frying potatoes on another occasion.
• Brown the lamb pieces in the frying pan in which you have browned the duck (they do not need extra fat). Put lamb in a casserole, add wine, stock and tomato puree and cook slowly in preheated 325-degree oven for 1 1/2 hours.
• Prick Toulouse sausages all over with a fork and fry until browned. Drain on paper towels.
• Boil the garlic sausage for 30 minutes in water and drain. Slice.
• In a food processor, combine the salt pork, garlic and shallots and blend until smooth.
• With a slotted spoon, remove the carrots from the beans. Turn up the heat under the beans, bringing them to a boil. Stir in the salt pork mixture and immediately turn off the heat. Set aside until final assembly.
• When lamb is cooked, remove from oven and mix the juices from the pan into the beans. Slice the roast pork.
• Arrange a layer of beans in a large casserole. Put pieces of lamb, duck, pork, rind and sausages on top. Add alternating layers of beans and meat, finishing with beans. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 30 minutes.

CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE BASQUE

Steps:

• Sauté the zucchini in the 2 tablespoons of hot olive oil in large skillet over high heat for 3 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper; stir well. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Reduce the heat to medium high. Add the sausage and cumin to the skillet; cook 8 minutes or until browned and no longer pink. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in skillet. Cut sausage into ¾-inch pieces, set aside.
• Add butter and next 3 ingredients to skillet; cook stirring often, until the onions are tender and mushroom liquid evaporates. Remove the vegetables from the skillet with slotted spoon.
• Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in same skillet over medium high heat.
• Dredge the chicken in the flour. Cook the chicken in hot oil for 8 minutes or until done turning once. Stir in the vermouth, the roasted red peppers, reserved sliced sausage, reserves vegetables, parsley, bay leaves, basil, and thyme. Bring to boil and simmer uncovered 5 minutes; discard bay leaf and serve.