Duck Cassoulet Recipes

CASSOULET WITH DUCK AND HOT SAUSAGES

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with tepid water, add the beans, set over low heat and bring slowly to a boil. Remove from the heat and let the beans soak for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Put the pork rind into a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Rinse with cold water and cut into pieces about 1 inch square. Wrap in cheesecloth, tie into a bundle and set aside.
• When the beans have finished soaking, add the pork rind, the onion stuck with cloves, the carrots and the bouquet garni. Add more water if necessary to cover the beans, bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 112 hours or until the beans are tender but still slightly firm. Remove the scum that will rise to the surface.
• Cut 1 1/2 pounds of the bacon into lardons 1 inch by 1/2 inch, cover them with cold water in a pan and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.
• Cut the ducks into serving pieces with poultry shears or a heavy sharp knife. Cut the sausage into 1-inch slices.
• Cut the remaining bacon into small pieces and place it with 1 tablespoon of water into a heavy, 6-to-8-quart pot. Set over low heat to render about 4 tablespoons of fat. Discard the bacon and leave the fat in the pot.
• Thoroughly dry the duck pieces and add them to the pot with the sausage and prepared lardons, and brown the duck evenly on all sides, about 15 minutes. (If the pot isn't big enough, use a second pot or heavy skillet.) Add the sliced onions. When everything is browned, cover with stock, stir in the tomato paste and bring to a boil, stirring. Add the garlic. Sprinkle with pepper, lower the heat and simmer for at least 45 minutes, or until the duck is tender. If the duck is cooked before the beans, turn off the flame and let it wait, covered.
• When the beans are tender, discard the pork rind and the bouquet garni, and add the beans and their cooking juice to the duck. Simmer together until the flavor is nicely blended. With a spoon or bulb baster, remove any fat that has risen to the surface. Remove the beans to a warm serving platter with a slotted spoon, and arrange the meat on top of them. Reduce the cooking liquid to 2 cups and strain. Taste and correct the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and beans, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

WHOLE-DUCK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan and add the beans. Remove from heat and let soak for 1 hour.
• Cut the bacon slab into 4 large chunks and cover in water in another saucepan; turn the heat to medium, and when the water boils, turn it down to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes.
• Make a bouquet garni by combining the parsley stems, thyme, bay leaves and whole cloves in a piece of cheesecloth and tying it into a bundle. (I never use cheesecloth myself but turn to my old tea ball, which is around for only this purpose.) Add it, along with the bacon, to the beans; bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, skimming occasionally, until the beans are just tender, 45 to 90 minutes. (Add water if necessary; ideally the beans will be moist but not swimming when they're done.) Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
• Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. Put 3 tablespoons reserved duck fat in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the lamb and brown the pieces well. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 or 6 minutes; turn off heat.
• Remove the duck confit from the refrigerator and scrape off the fat; debone and shred the meat. Add the meat and garlic cloves to the pot with the lamb, along with 2 cups duck stock, tomatoes, chopped garlic and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer; cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is very tender, 1 to 1.5 hours. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
• When you're ready to assemble the cassoulet, discard the bouquet garni. Cut the fat from the meat and cut the meat into small pieces.
• Heat 2 tablespoons reserved duck fat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the sausage and cook, turning as necessary until well browned; transfer to a cutting board and slice into quarter-inch rounds; don't wash out the pan.
• Heat the oven to 375. Transfer a layer of beans to a large enameled cast-iron pot with a slotted spoon to leave behind most of the cooking liquid. Layer half of the sausage and bacon on top, then another layer of beans, then half the duck-and-lamb mixture; repeat the layers until you have used all the beans and meat.
• Put the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer, uncovered, then turn off heat. Cover with bread crumbs and chopped parsley leaves and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• While the cassoulet is in the oven, put the skillet used for cooking the sausage over medium-high heat. When it's hot, cook the duck breasts, skin-side down, until they release easily from the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook to rare, just another minute or 2. Remove the duck from the pan with a slotted spoon and pour the drippings from the pan over the cassoulet; reduce oven heat to 350.
• Bake the cassoulet until it's hot, bubbling and crusted around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes; add a little duck stock if it starts to look too dry. Slice the duck breasts on the diagonal and transfer them to the pot, tucking them into the bread crumbs. Cook until the breasts are medium rare, another 5 minutes or so, then serve.

DUCK CASSOULET (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown the sliced sausage over medium heat.
• Insert whole cloves into onion. Roll bacon up, and tie with a string. Tie together parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
• In a large slow cooker, place soaked beans, sausage, bacon, onion studded with cloves, fresh herbs, bay leaf, carrots, minced garlic, and duck.
• Add enough water to cover the other ingredients. Cook for 1 hour on HIGH. Reduce heat to LOW, and continue cooking for 6 to 8 hours.
• Remove onion, bacon, and herbs. Stir in chopped tomatoes. Continue cooking for 1/2 hour. Serve.