Garbanzo Cassoulet Recipes

FRENCH CASSOULET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim the excess skin from the duck or chicken and place on a lined baking sheet. Dry the trimmed skin in the oven, checking often, until crispy, about 15 minutes.
• Add the skin to a food processor along with the breadcrumbs, oil and the 1/8 teaspoon thyme leaves and blend until uniform. Set aside. (This step can also be done while the cassoulet is stewing).
• Heat the clarified butter over high heat in a heavy-bottomed saute or frying pan and, working in batches, sear the poultry, pork or lamb and sausage until they are caramelized, adding more butter if the pan gets dry. Remove the meats to a large roasting pan or deep broiler-proof baking dish as they are completed.
• In the same pan you browned the meat in, saute the onions, carrots and celery until they are caramelized. Add the tomatoes, wine, and 5 cups water, deglazing the pan by scraping all the loose particles from the bottom of the pan.
• Drain the beans and add them to the pan, along with the marjoram, parsley, bay leaves and 1/4 cup thyme. Bring the liquid to a boil.
• Pour the beans and liquid over the meats in the roasting pan, cover the pan tightly with foil if no lid is available and bake until the meat is fork-tender and the beans have absorbed most of the liquid and are tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the meat from the pan, drain the liquid from the beans and vegetables and put it into a saucepan.
• Add two cups of the cooked bean and vegetable mixture to the liquid and puree with an immersion blender or puree in a blender before adding to the liquid. This will thicken the liquid into a sauce.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour the liquid back over the remaining beans and vegetables, stirring to combine.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Slice the lamb or pork and lay it on the beans with the sausages and poultry legs. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the cassoulet and broil until the top is lightly browned.

THREE-BEAN CASSOULET

Steps:

• In an ungreased 3-qt. baking dish, combine all ingredients. Cover and bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf.

CHICKEN CASSOULET SOUP

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain., Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the water, chicken, beans, carrots, onion, vermouth, bouillon, garlic, thyme, fennel and if desired, lavender. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through., Divide among bowls; sprinkle with bacon. If desired, top with additional fresh thyme.

CHICKPEA CASSOULET WITH TOMATOES AND CHARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cook pasta al dente; drain.
• Saute onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, herbs, paprika, and saffron (if desired).
• Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently until onions are soft about 8 minutes.
• Add chickpeas, 1/2 cup of their liquid and tomatoes.
• Season with pepper.
• Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• If pan becomes dry, add a little water to keep it moist.
• Steam chard until bright green and tender.
• Remove, chop coarsely, season with pepper and if desired salt.
• Put pasta in casserole, add chick pea-tomato mixture, chard and cheese.
• Toss until well mixed.
• Cover with foil and bake until warmed through, about 20 minutes.
• Serve with additional grated cheese if desired.