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.
219 K 3.9/5 (60 reviews)
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Last modified on: September 17th 2021
For 16 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
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time

Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 12 hours
Cassoulet

Beans

Leave 3 litres white beans to soak overnight in cold water.

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

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

Stage 4 - 25 min.
Cassoulet
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 6 - 3 min.
Cassoulet
Melt 100 ml 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
Add the carrots, leek, garlic and bouquet garni.

Stir well and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stage 8 - 10 min.
Cassoulet
Pour in 4000 ml water, add 4 chicken stock cubes and bring to the boil.

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

Stage 10 - 3 min.
Cassoulet
Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Add 100 ml 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

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
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
Prepare to cook the cassoulet: put a first layer of beans in the bottom of the pan.

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

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

Stage 16 - 2 hours
Cassoulet
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
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 recipe820 RDI=320 %930 RDI=90 %1,710 RDI=260 %22,390 RDI=1,120 %93,740 RDI: 1,120 %
Per 100 g9 RDI=4 %10 RDI=1 %20 RDI=3 %270 RDI=10 %1,130 RDI: 10 %
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 16 people : 55.50 €
  • 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.
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