This French white bean stew takes a couple of hours to make, but it is definitely worth the wait and effort. It is normally made with cured duck meat (duck confit), but I have adapted the recipe to include easily accessible ingredients. Instead of duck and dried Tarbais beans, I used chicken thighs and canned cannellini beans. Try it out and enjoy!
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
Broth:
2 carrots, halved
2 stalks of celery, halved
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves of garlic, halved
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs of thyme
6 cups chicken stock
Pinch of salt
Meat:
4 chicken thighs, skin on
2 Trader Joe's Sweet Chicken Sausage links, halved
1 pork loin, cut into 1 1/2 inch thick medallions
1 package of pancetta
Bean stew:
2 (13.5 oz) cans cannellini beans, strained
3 tablespoons olive oil
14 oz of puréed tomato
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 cup red wine
Pinch of salt
Topping:
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
handful of parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions:
1. In a large pot, combine all the ingredients set aside for the broth and bring to a boil for 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt. Turn off the heat and set aside.
2. In a large pan, brown the chicken thighs for 4 minutes on each side and remove from the pan leaving the drippings behind. Repeat with the pork medallions in the same pan and remove and set aside.
3. Add the olive oil to the meat drippings and sauté the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and pancetta until golden brown. Season with salt. Add the tomato purée and wine and allow to cook down until thick. Turn off the heat and stir in the cannellini beans.
4. In a 12 inch diameter cast iron skillet, layer the bean mixture. Arrange the meats across the top. Ladle several spoonfuls of the broth you prepared earlier until the beans are drenched. Only use the liquid broth and not any of the solid ingredients used to make it.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and butter thoroughly. Sprinkle over the cassoulet evenly and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
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