Goose Cassoulet Recipes

GOOSE CASSOULET

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight in water.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (approximately 350°F).
• Rinse the tomatoes and cut into large pieces. Rinse the pork, pat dry and cut into small pieces. Rinse, shake dry and trim the soup vegetables and cut into small cubes. Peel the onions and garlic and finely chop. Melt the lard in a roasting pan, then brown the bacon in it and remove. In remaining fat, fry the pork, salt and pepper and remove. Then sauté the vegetables with the onions and garlic briefly, drain the beans and mix with bacon, meat, vegetables, tomatoes, cloves and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the broth so that the beans are just covered.
• Rinse and pat dry the goose legs. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on the vegetables. Cover and cook for 1/2-2 hours in the preheated oven. Remove the cover and brown for another 30 minutes. Season again and serve immediately.

CASSOULET

Steps:

• Sprinkle goose leg with herbs and salt. Let marinate, refrigerated, overnight. Next day, pat dry and combine with melted rendered goose fat. Simmer until tender. Reserve goose and fat.
• In a large pan cover pork rind, pancetta and pig's foot with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer 3 minutes. Drain and rinse meats. Combine blanched meats in a large earthenware casserole with beans, carrots, onion, garlic, bouquet garni and garlic sausage, pricked several times. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches and slowly bring to a boil. Cook, covered, at a bare simmer over very low heat. After 30 minutes, remove sausage and pancetta; when cool enough to handle, slice sausage and dice pancetta. Continue to cook beans for 2 hours or until very tender. Add salt in last 10 minutes of cooking time. Discard carrots, onion and bouquet garni. Drain beans, reserving liquid. Remove large bones from pig's foot and cut into 4 pieces. Cut pork rind into 1-inch squares.
• Make lamb stew: In a deep saute pan cook onions and carrots in reserved goose fat for 15 minutes or until golden and transfer to a plate. Add lamb and brown on all sides. Return vegetables to pan, season with salt and sprinkle with flour. Cook, turning lamb, until flour is cooked. Add wine, garlic and herbs. Adds tomatoes and enough of the reserved bean cooking liquid to cover. Cook over very low heat for 11/2 hours, skimming occasionally. Remove meat and carrots to a plate and strain sauce into a saucepan. Simmer sauce for 15 minutes until concentrated and flavorful.
• To assemble: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub bottom and sides of a medium-deep earthenware oven dish with garlic cloves. Layer pork rind and goose, cut into two pieces, and top with 1/3 of beans. Layer pig's foot, lamb and carrots and top with 1/3 of beans. Layer sausage and pancetta and top with remaining beans. Sprinkle with some bread crumbs and ladle enough lamb sauce over top of mixture for liquid to rise to surface of beans. Dust with more bread crumbs and sprinkle with several tablespoons melted goose fat. Bake until heated through and surface begins to bubble. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F or lower, so casserole bubbles gently and bake about 2 hours. After first 20 minutes, baste surface first with lamb sauce, then with bean liquid. Continue basting every 20 minutes, until top forms a golden-crisp gratin crust. Break surface all over with a spoon so that part becomes submerged and rest is moistened by sauce. Break crust at least 3 times. However, if you run out of basting liquids, it is better to stop baking than to risk dish becoming too dry.

GOOSE CASSOULET

Steps:

• Soak the beans into water during 1 night then rinse them generously. Cover the bottom of a large casserole with the pork rind and display the beans on it. Add the bacon, the peeled onions pricked with the cloves, the bouquet garni, 3 crushed garlic cloves, the peeled and cut (into 8 pieces) carrots. Season with salt & pepper, cover with water; put a lid and simmer for 2 hours. During this simmering, fry the pork and lamb pieces in oil. Add 4 peeled and minced onions and 2 peeled and minced garlic cloves. Spread with thyme and then add the tomatoes cut into pieces. Season with salt & pepper, and then add 2 fl oz water, cover and let simmer for 1 hour. Right before the beans are cooked, take out the bouquet garni, the onions and the pork rind. Cut the rind into small cubes then put them back with the beans, together with the sausage and the preserved goose. Add the meats with all the cooking juice and other ingredients. Gently mix and simmer for another 20 minutes. This must be served very hot but can be re-heated.

CASSOULET

Steps:

• FOR THE BEANS AND SAUSAGE:.
• In a heavy 4 to 6 quart pot or soup kettle, bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Drop the beans in and boil them briskly for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Meanwhile, simmer the salt pork in 1 quart of water for 15 minutes; drain and set aside.
• With the point of a sharp knife, pierce 5 or 6 holes in the sausage; then add the sausage & salt pork to the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Tie the parsley, celery tops, leek, bay leaves and cloves tightly in the cheesecloth, and add to the beans, along with the onion, 1/2 teaspoon garlic & 1/2 teaspoon thyme. Reduce the heat and simmer ncovered for 45 minutes, adding stock or water if needed.
• With tongs, transfer the sausage to a plate and set it aside. Cook the beans and salt pork for another 30 or 40 minutes, or until the beans are tender.
• Remove the salt pork from the beans, pare off the skin and discard the skin. Set aside the salt pork on the same plate as the sausages.
• Drain the beans, RESERVING THE BROTH IN WHICH THEY WERE COOKED. Discard the onion and the boquet garni. Degrease the stock and taste for seasoning. Set the stock aside.
• FOR THE PORK AND LAMB:.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees . In a heavy 10 to 12 inch skillet, brown the pork and lamb in the olive oil over medium heat. When the meat is a rich brown on all sides, transfer it with tongs to a dutch oven.
• Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet and saute the onions over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the celery and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Pour in the wine, bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the mixture has been reduced by half. With a rubber spatula, scrape the contents of the skillet into the dutch oven with the meat. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt & pepper to the dutch oven, and stir to combine.
• Bring the mixture in the dutch oven to a boil on the top of the stove, cover, and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
• Transfer the meat to the same plate with the sausage & salt pork.
• Strain the liquid the meat was braised in, pressing on the vegetables to release their juice. Discard the vegetables.
• Degrease the braising liquid and add to the reserved bean stock.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut the sausage into 1/4 inch slices. Remove the skin from the duck confit and pull all the meat from the bones. Discard the skin and bones (you can leave the skin on if you want, but I think it makes it too fatty -- ). Cut the duck into 1 inch pieces. Cut the salt pork into 1 inch pieces.
• Combine the duck, sausage, salt pork, pork & lamb.
• Spread a 1 inch layer of the beans on the bottom of a large dutch oven. Spread half the meat mixture over these beans, top with another 1 inch layer of beans and the remaining meat mixture, ending with a final layer of beans.
• Pour the reserved bean stock/ braising liquid over the beans until it almost covers them (if there isn't enough stock, you can add chicken stock or water to make up the difference).
• Mix together the bread crumbs and parsley, and spread over the top of the cassoulet. Pour the 2 tablespoons duck fat, goose fat, or melted butter on top of the parsley/crumb mixture.
• Bring the casserole to a boil on top of the stove, then bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 and 1/4 hours, or until the crumbs have formed a firm, brown crust.
• Push the crust down into the cassoulet, bringing more fresh beans & meat to the top.
• Place the casserole under the broiler and broil until the top is brown and crusty.
• Remove from the oven and let cool. Push the second crust down into the cassoulet. Cover and refrigerate.
• The day you want to serve the cassoulet, bake in the oven, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, then remove the cover and broil the top until it is brown and crusty.

RAYMOND BLANC'S CASSOULET

Steps:

• To cut the meats, roll up the pork rind like a Swiss roll. With the seam underneath, use a very sharp knife to cut the roll across into thin slices, then chop the rolled-up slices across into dice. Chop the bacon into small cubes (lardons). Cut the garlic sausage into 1cm thick slices.
• Drain the soaked beans and discard the soaking water. Tip the beans into a large saucepan, add the diced pork rind and lardons and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil and blanch for 15-20 minutes. Drain the beans, rind and lardons into a colander, and discard the cooking water.
• Roughly chop the celery, onion and carrot. Peel the garlic cloves but leave them whole. Cut each tomato into eight wedges. (You never see tomatoes in a traditional cassoulet, but chef Raymond Blanc likes them for their colour and sweetness, so he puts a couple in.) Preheat the oven to 120C/fan 100C. (If cooking in a gas oven, use mark 2.)
• Heat the goose fat or olive oil in a 26cm flameproof casserole or deep overproof sauté pan over a low heat and sweat the celery, onion, carrot and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bouquet garni and cook slowly to get a sugary caramelisation (about 5 minutes). Add the sausage, beans, pork rind and lardons and pour in 1.2 litres/2 pints water. Bring to the boil, skim off the scum, then add the salt, pepper, clove and lemon juice.
• Transfer the casserole to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 2 hours, stirring every hour. At the end of this time, the beans will be soft and creamy in texture and the juices should have thickened. You may need to cook it for longer than 2 hours (say up to 2½ hours) to get to this stage - it depends
• Remove the cassoulet from the oven. Bury the duck legs in the beans and sprinkle over the goose fat or olive oil, breadcrumbs and garlic. Return to the oven and cook for a further 2 hours. Serve the cassoulet in bowls, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

CHRISTMAS CASSOULET

Steps:

• Evenly divide chicken stock and beans between 2 large stockpots. Bring both pots to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes, skimming foam from surface as it rises. Remove pot from heat and let beans cool in liquid.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Fit 2 roasting pans with racks; set aside.
• Remove thyme leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme. Season ducks, inside and out, with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves. Place two ducks on one rack in a roasting pan, and one duck on another. Add enough water to each roasting pan to come just below the bottom of the racks. Transfer both roasting pans to oven and roast for 45 minutes.
• Fit another roasting pan with a rack. Season goose, inside and out, with salt, pepper, and sage. Using a fork, prick skin all over and place on rack in roasting pan. Add enough water to come just below the bottom of the rack. Transfer to oven; roast for 1 hour.
• Place lamb and pork bones on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to oven and roast for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup duck fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb cubes, working in batches as necessary, and cook, turning, until browned on all sides; transfer to a plate and set aside. Add pork cubes, working in batches as necessary and adding 1/4 cup more duck fat, if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time (you may not need to use the full 1/4 cup). Cook, turning, until browned on all sides; transfer to a plate and set aside. Add pancetta to skillet, working in batches as necessary, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides; transfer to a plate and set aside. Alternatively, melt 1/4 cup duck fat in each of 3 large skillets and, working in batches, brown meat separately in each skillet.
• Drain fat from skillet; add 1/2 cup of duck fat to skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic to skillet, in batches if necessary, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1 bottle of wine; let simmer for 15 minutes. Alternatively, if using 3 skillets, divide onion, garlic, tomato, and wine evenly among the 3 skillets. Transfer to stockpots with beans and their liquid, dividing evenly.
• Remove breast meat from ducks and goose. Remove the legs of each and cut each leg into two pieces; remove bones from thighs. Cut breast and thigh meat into bite-size pieces and set aside. Remove wings and set aside along with drumsticks. Cover meat, wings, and drumsticks and refrigerate overnight. Using a cleaver, halve carcasses; set aside.
• Place 2 large layers of cheesecloth on work surface. Repeat with another 2 layers of cheesecloth to make 2 separate cheesecloth stacks. Evenly divide duck and goose carcasses, roasted bones, parsley, leeks, carrots, cloves, bay leaves, and remaining 6 sprigs thyme between cheesecloth stacks. Wrap and tie with kitchen twine to enclose. Add one to each pot with beans and add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Place pots over medium-high heat; simmer until beans are almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Beans should be covered by 2 inches of liquid at all times; if liquid begins to reduce, add water as necessary. Remove from heat and remove as much excess liquid from beans as you can; transfer liquid to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. Let bean mixture cool for 1 hour; transfer to refrigerator and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
• The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beans over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Remove cheesecloth packets and discard. Skim fat from the surface of reserved bean liquid and divide evenly between the two pots of beans.
• In a Dutch oven that holds at least 18 quarts, alternately layer the beans with remaining bottle of wine and a mixture of the reserved cubed lamb, pork, pancetta, duck, and goose, seasoning between each layer with salt and pepper. Top the mixture with the reserved duck and goose drumsticks and wings.
• Make the Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with duck fat and stir to moisten. Sprinkle evenly over to cover. Transfer Dutch oven to oven and bake until a light-brown crust has formed, 2 to 3 hours.
• About 1 hour before you are ready to serve, place sausages in a high-sided skillet; add enough water to skillet to cover sausages by three-quarters. Bring water to a simmer over medium-high heat; cook, turning, about 35 minutes. Cover skillet and continue cooking until sausage is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Remove sausage from casings and cut on the bias into 1/2-inch slices. Top cassoulet with garlic sausage and serve.