CASSOULET

Cassoulet is the classic Southern French casserole cooking.
I had tried to cook the dish, but it was a long time ago.  I am thinking to do it again before the winter is over.  This time following the recipe faithfully, to have an excellent result.

The traditional dish for cooking the cassoulet I don't have, but a heavy-based cooking pot can be used instead.  Any La Creuset cooking pot does the job.

A cassoulet is a dish that does not look attractive or appetising, but it's delicious, it should be after all the ingredients are protein and fat.  It is not advisable for people who have a strict diet, it is a No, No.
The list of the ingredients to cook Cassoulet.
Cannellini bean
Sausage
Pork
Mutton
Confit duck or confit Goose 
Tomato and Onion
Bouquet Garni
Bacon skin and breadcrumb
(the cooking process take at least three hours)


Here, I typed the information about the Cassoulet from the New Larousse Gastronomique.
Noted in Italic for quick and easy reading by me.

Cassoulet  -  Haricot beans stew which originates in Languedoc.  It is prepared with pork and mutton, or with goose or duck, in an earthware dish which used to be known as the casserole d'issel, from whence derives its name.
Franc-Nohain, a humorous poet, sang the praises of Languedoc cassoulet in his Nouvelle cuisiniere bourgeoise.  He even gives a recipe in verse for cassoulet, the substance of which is here:
'On a moderate fire, I see two casseroles.  In one, a leg of confit d'oie or confit de canard (preserved goose or duck) as well little sausages, rib of pork and loin of mutton, are browning. Do not forget the flavouring, 2 tomatoes, and 2 onions cut in four.
Meanwhile, the white Soissons haricots are cooking gently in the other utensil.  Let the cooking proceed for two hours, and then arrange the beans and meat or duck, mutton and pork are distributed between layers of haricot beans.  After which put the cassoulet in the oven.
Then on the surface of the dish a golden crust forms, thick and fat.  Break it, because it must be incorporated into the rest of the ingredients.  Put it back in the oven, wait until another crust forms, which again must be broken: and this must be done six times.  Serve after breaking the crust seven times. A royal feast; in Languedoc, this called a haricot cream of cassoulet.'

Casserole I    
Confit de canard
little sausage
Rib of pork
Loin of mutton
Two onions and tomatoes cut in four.
( browning-in the process of the cooking)


Casserole II
The withe Soissons haricot is cooking away.

 Let the cooking proceed for two hours, and then arrange the beans and meat or duck, mutton and pork are distributed between layers of haricot beans.  After which put the cassoulet in the oven.

The lucky seven enable us to enjoy a royal feast; in Languedoc, this called a haricot cream of cassoulet.

Anatole France loved the cassoulet.  In Histoire Comique he wrote:
'I am going to lead you to a little tavern in the rue Vavin, chez Clemence, who only makes one dish, stupendous one: le cassoulet de Castelnaudary, which contains legs of confit d'oie (preserved goose), haricot beans previously blanched, pork fat, and little sausages.  To be reasonable, it must be cooked slowly for a long time. Clemence's cassoulet has been preparing for twenty years.  She replenishes the pot sometimes with goose, sometimes with pork fat, always the same cassoulet.  The basis remains, and this ancient and precious substance gives it a savour, which one finds in the paintings of the old Venetian masters, in the amber flesh tints of their women. Come, I wish you to taste Clemence's cassoulet.'

Vavin, chez Clemence - le cassoulet de Castelnaudary
- preserved goose, haricot beans previously blanched 
- pork fat, and little sausages.
(to be simmered for a long time)
Clemence's cassoulet has been cooking for 20years, she replenishes the pot with pork fat or with goose.  The basis remains, and the precious substance gives it a savour.

There are three kinds of cassoulet; that of Castelnaudary, of Carcassonne, and of Toulouse.
The three types should have the following differences: Castelnaudary is prepared with fresh pork, ham, knuckle of pork, and fresh bacon skins; that of Carcassonne with the addition to the above of a shortened leg of mutton, and partridges in season; that of Toulouse has added breast of pork, Toulouse sausages, mutton and confit d'oie or confit de canard.
In Languedoc, how the cassoulet is made varies according to whoever is preparing it.  Some cook the haricots, pork, mutton, bacon skins and sausages together, and then arrange these in alternate layers in the terrine, covering the surface with a thick sprinkling of bread-crumbs, and take it to the baker's oven to cook gently for some hours.

Castelnudary cassoulet:
- with fresh pork, ham, knuckle of pork, and fresh bacon skins 
Carcassone cassoulet:
- with fresh pork, ham, knuckle of pork, fresh bacon skins and a shortened leg of mutton, partridges.
Toulouse cassoulet:
- breast of pork, Toulouse sausages, mutton, and confit de canard of confit d'oie.

Cassoulet de Castelnaudary  I - Simmer white haricot beans and bacon skin in a glaze earthware pot with the usual seasoning, meats, aromatic vegetables and a pinch of garlic.
Drain and place them in an earthenware pot which has been lined with the fresh bacon skins, knuckle of pork, breast of pork, sausage, and a leg of confit d'oie.
Sprinkle with a layer coarse breadcrumbs and add goose fat.  Cook gently in the oven for several hours.
When an excellent golden crust has formed on the surface of the cassoulet stir it in with a spoon and repeat this 2 or 3 times. Gourmets like this served with either a fine red Aquitaine wine or with an old Minervois wine.
Cassoulet de Castelnaudary  II - For eight people soak 1 litre (13/4 pints, generous quart) dried white haricot beans for several hours, but not for too long or they may begin to ferment.  Simer in an earthenware pot with 300 salt breast of pork, 200 desalted rolled-up bacon skins, a carrot, an onion stuck with cloves, and a bouquet garni containing 3 cloves of garlic.  Season with a little salt.
In another pan, brown in lard or goose fat, 750 g loin of pork and 500g boned loin of mutton, well seasoned with salt and pepper.  Add 2 medium-sized chopped onions a bouquet garni and 2 crushed cloves of garlic.  Continue cooking with the lid on and add gravy or beef stock from time to time.
When the haricots are nearly cooked, remove the carrot, onion, and bouquet garni, and put in the pork, mutton, a garlic sausage, a leg of confit d[oie or confit de canard, and home-made sausage.  Simmer gently for 1 hour.
Remove the pieces of meat from the haricot beans.  Cut the pork mutton and goose into slices of equal size cut the bacon skins into rectangular pieces, the skinned garlic sausage and sausage into slices.
Put into a large earthenware pot lined with bacon skins, a layer of haricot beans and then a layer of the various meats with some of their sauce.  Fill the pot with an alternate layer, seasoning each one with a little freshly ground pepper.  On the last layer of haricots lay slices of salt pork, bacon skins, and slices of garlic sausage.
Sprinkle with white breadcrumbs, and pour over them a little goose fat.  Cook gently in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
Serve the cassoulet in the pot in which it has cooked.
There are other Languedocian cassoulets, that of Luchon, for example, which is called pistache.

The pottery dish to cook the cassoulet: Handmade by Kathy Kearns can be purchased.

The tradition of Cassoulet Dish

You could follow the recipe of cassoulet from the Taste, and use a heavy-based pot for cooking as it's pictured below.  No need to have the traditional one, it is difficult to find one here in Australia.

Cassoulet based on Taste

The cassoulet, based on the recipe of Taste, all ingredients are from Coles, it does not use the duck confit instead using fresh duck meat and any sausages (it's not mentioning of Toulouse sausage)  Definitely, it is not the tradition and original cassoulet from the south of France.

A Cassoulet recipe by Stephany Alexander you may like to follow, she explains everything thoroughly, and there is a picture about the ingredients, an excellent guide for you to learn what they are and where to get them from.

I want to cook the cassoulet once more, but I may have to start to prepare the duck confit (it can be done quickly, only takes time).  Where do I get the Toulouse sausages? That is the question.  If you can not use all the proper ingredients, then it won't be Authentic, is it worth it?   Come to think of it, I must wait for the family to come home to share the dish with as Rayner-my husband is not allowed to eat the rich dish for his health.  Indeed, I shall wait!

I wish you all readers well, please do, go ahead to try the above recipe based on New Larousse Gastronomique.  That would be great if you share your experience to cook the dish with me and with us.  How did you go?   Have fun and happy cooking.



The winter is almost over, make the best of it.
Susy