Another recipe with Duck confit.
Cassoulet
Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, France
Beans:
4 cups dry White Navy Beans
½ lb. fresh Pork Fat
½ tbsp. Salt
½ lb. fresh Pork Rinds, tied in a bundle
1 medium-sized Carrot
1 medium-sized Onion, stuck with
1 Clove
Bouquet Garni: Parsley, sprig of thyme,
½ bay leaf, 3 garlic cloves
Meat:
1¾ lb. Smoked Ham
4 pieces of Duck Confit
Salt & pepper
4 medium-sized Onions, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Bouquet Garni
5 tbsp. thick Tomato Puree
½ lb. uncooked Garlic Sausage
2 tbsp. fresh Bread Crumbs
Beans:
Soak 4 cups white navy beans in cold water for two hours; drain. Place in saucepan with 4 quarts cold water, add pork fat. Heat slowly to boiling point, skim & boil for 5 minutes; drain. Rinse the pan and return the beans & pork fat into it along with 2 quarts of water, salt, pork rinds, carrot, onion and the bouquet garni. Cook over low heat.
The beans should remain whole and be perfectly cooked without being mushy.
Meat:
Place some drippings in a skillet and brown the ham, season with salt & pepper. When the ham is well browned put it in a large skillet containing onion, bouquet garni, and garlic. Add the tomato puree, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Moisten with some stock from the stock pot.
When the beans are almost cooked remove the vegetables and the bouquet garni and add the ham, onions, garlic sausage, duck confit, and simmer gently for one hour. Remove all the meat from the beans and drain, reserving the rind.
Cut the meat into equal size pieces. Cut the rind into rectangles and layer the rind in an earthenware dish. Add a layer of beans, meats, then beans again; seasoning each layer with pepper. On top of the final layer place pieces of the fat, the remaining rind and some sliced sausage. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and duck fat.
Cook gently in the oven at 300° for 2 hours. Remove the cover 15 minutes before to brown.
Then I want to try the Cheddar Cheese Grits from House of Blues!
