Cassoulet


Cassoulet
Cassoulet is typical, even emblematic, of southern French cuisine. It is a "slow food" casserole in which meat and vegetables, particualrly dried beans, are cooked together for a long time. Here is a simplified version of this famous dish.
228 K 3.9/5 (60 reviews)
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Last modified on: September 17th 2021
For 8 people, you will need:

Change to the quantities for:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 12 hours 60 min.
Cooking: 3 hours 15 min.
All in all: 16 hours 9 min.
When should you start or finish this recipe?
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
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Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 12 hours
Cassoulet : Stage 1

Beans

Leave 1 kg 500 g white beans to soak overnight in cold water.

Stage 2 - 5 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 2
The next day, drain and blanch for 3 minutes in salted boiling water.

Stage 3 - 3 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 3
Drain the beans again.

Stage 4 - 25 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 4
Prepare the carrots and cut into small pieces.

Prepare the leek and chop finely.

Peel the garlic cloves and chop finely.

Stage 5 - 10 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 5

Stage 6 - 3 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 6
Melt 50 g goose fat in a large pan over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion, salt and perpper and cook without colouring.

Stage 7 - 5 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 7
Add the carrots, leek, garlic and bouquet garni.

Stir well and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stage 8 - 10 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 8
Pour in 2 litres water, add 2 chicken stock cubes and bring to the boil.

Stage 9 - 30 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 9
Leave uncovered to simmer for 30 minutes.

Stage 10 - 3 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 10
Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Add 50 g tomato paste, mix and then add the beans.

Leave to simmer uncovered for around 30 minutes until the beans are just tender.

Drain the beans and set aside the stock.

Stage 11 - 10 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 11

The cassoulet

Put the pan or casserole you are going to use for the cassoulet on high heat and fry the duck confit until browned on all sides.

Remove the duck pieces and set aside.

Stage 12 - 10 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 12
Leave the duck fat in the pan and use this to fry the bacon and sausage, cut into pieces.

Set aside.

Stage 13 - 5 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 13
Prepare to cook the cassoulet: put a first layer of beans in the bottom of the pan.

Stage 14 - 5 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 14
Cover with a layer of meat.

Stage 15 - 5 min.
Cassoulet : Stage 15
Cover the meat with a second layer of beans.

Stage 16 - 2 hours
Cassoulet : Stage 16
Add stock (from stage 10) to cover with about 1 cm (1/2 inch) over the top of the beans.

Cover and cook in the oven at 360°F (180°C) for around 2 hours.

Stage 17
Cassoulet : Stage 17
Serve each guest with a generous mix of beans and the different meats.
Remarks
The proportions of this recipe are not rigid, so you can add a little more or a little less of something, according to your taste.

For the dried beans, use whatever fairly large white beans you can get. A good French variety is 'lingot du nord'.

For the duck confit, if you are using legs, allow 2 per person.

For the sausage, use a good variety that is available where you live (I prefer using smoked sausage, but this is a matter of taste).

Cassoulet is one of those dishes that just gets better each time you reheat it, so don't hesitate to make a large quantity for reheating on another day or for freezing.
And to drink?
A red wine from the south-west of France. My preference is for a Cahors to accompany this dish.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, protected by plastic film.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
Proteins (gr)Carbohydrates (gr)Fats (gr)Energy value (in k-calories)Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe410 RDI=160 %460 RDI=40 %850 RDI=130 %11,190 RDI=560 %46,870 RDI: 560 %
Per 100 g6 RDI=3 %7 RDI=1 %10 RDI=2 %180 RDI=9 %760 RDI: 9 %
Per person50 RDI=20 %60 RDI=5 %110 RDI=20 %1,400 RDI=70 %5,860 RDI: 70 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man
Possible allergens in this recipe: Celery
How much will it cost?
  • For 8 people : 27.75 €
  • Per person : 3.50 €

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Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
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