Cassoulet

I had this wonderful dish on my birthday and it was simply divine! Cassoulet is a classic French dish originated from the south of France. It is a hearty stew or casserole of various types of meats and beans slowly cooked with a crust on top. You can easily use other meats, such as pork, turkey or goose as an alternative.
Ingredients:
3 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 lb salted pork, soaked overnight
3 duck breasts, turkey or pork (quartered)
1 fennel, cut in small chunks
2 medium sized onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. ground cloves
3 Tbsps. tomato paste
6 sausages (low sodium), cut into pieces
5 tomatoes, skin removed, and quartered
½ cup dried bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
sea salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain the beans and put into a large saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a fast boil for about 15 minutes. Remove beans from heat, drain and set aside. Cut salted pork and remove the rind and excess fat.
2. Heat some oil in a frying pan and browned salted pork. In a large saucepan, add beans, onions, garlic, bay leaves, ground cloves, and tomato paste. Add in salted pork and enough water to cover the beans and meat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer for about 1 hour, or until beans are tender.

3. In the same pan, heat some oil and brown the meat and sausages until browned. Remove and set aside. Reheat frying pan and add in bread crumbs and cook until pale golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside for later.
7. Add the bean mixture to a large casserole or ovenproof dish. Arrange the meat, sausages, fennel, and tomatoes evenly with the bean mixture. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Sprinkle the browned bread crumbs on top and bake in the center of the oven, uncovered for about an hour. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Printable Recipe