Canadian Cassoulet Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S QUICK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Add bacon to a large, cold oven-ready skillet. Place over medium heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, until almost crisp. Transfer to a bowl, reserving the grease in the pan.
• Stir in sausage slices; cook 3-4 minutes. Add chicken thigh pieces; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until browned. Remove meat to the plate with bacon. Discard all the oil, but don't wipe out the pan.
• Add chopped onion and turn the heat to medium-low; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add 1 cup of chicken stock.
• Mash about 1/4 of the beans in a small bowl, stir all the beans into the pan.
• Stir in cayenne, rosemary and thyme. Add reserved meat back to the pan. Stir in remaining cup of stock or more if needed to cover. Return to simmer.
• Mix bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and melted butter together in a small bowl.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 7 inches from the heat source.
• Sprinkle the cassoulet with half the bread crumb mixture. Place under the broiler and cook about 5 minutes, until browned.
• Remove the pan and push bread crumbs down into the cassoulet. Top with remaining bread crumb mixture. Return to oven and continue broiling 5 more minutes, until browned.
• Turn off the broiler and leave in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy.

CANADIAN CASSOULET RECIPE

Steps:

• Method: Cover dried beans with 3 times their volume of water and let stand for 8 hours or overnight. Drain. Push cloves into onion, place in large saucepan along with beans, stock, water, bacon, garlic and bouquet garni. Bring to boil and skim off any foam. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Remove bacon and cut into 4 pieces; set aside. Discard bouquet garni and onion. Sprinkle pork or lamp with salt and pepper. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook pork and lamb/chicken for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned. With slotted spoon, remove meat and set aside. Add chopped onion to skillet; cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Add reserved cooking liquid, tomato sauce and reserved pork and lamb/chicken, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain and reserve cooking liquid, adding enough water, if necessary, to make 2 cups. In 20 cup casserole or Dutch oven, spread one third of the beans. Top with pork and lamb/chicken, then one third of the beans, then kielbasa and bacon. Cover with remaining beans. Pour in reserved cooking liquid. Bake uncovered in 350˚F oven for 1-1/2 hours or until bubbly but still fairly liquid (add more water, if necessary). For a crusty topping, add 1-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs, tossed with 2 T butter about 45 minutes before end of baking time.