Forty Minute Cassoulet
Instructions:
- Cassoulet can take a lot of time and a lot of money, or you
can make this version, which is fancy enough for guests,
won’t break the bank, and can be made well in advance,
then simply reheated. It’s not “real” cassoulet, but glorified
beans accentuated by whatever meat is handy.
- 4 cups chopped tomato (canned is fine; include the juices)
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 4 cups white beans, nearly fully cooked or frozen; drained if canned (save the liquid in any case)
- 1 cup stock, dry red wine, bean-cooking liquid, or water
- Salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- 1 pound Italian sausage, preferably in 1 piece
- 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 boned duck breast
- Combine the tomato and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and add the beans; bring to a boil again, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles regularly but not furiously.
- Cook for about 20 minutes, adding the liquid when the mixture gets thick. Add the salt and cayenne when the beans are tender and flavorful.
- Meanwhile, put the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat; brown on both sides, turning only once or twice. Add the sausage to the tomato-bean mixture, along with the pork. Raise the heat a bit if necessary to keep a simmer going. Stir the beans occasionally so the pork chunks cook evenly.
- Cut a 1/2-inch crosshatch pattern in the skin side of the duck breast, right down to the fat layer. Put the breast in the same skillet you used for the sausage, skin side down, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until nicely browned, pouring any rendered duck fat and juices into the bean mixture. Turn the duck and brown the meat side, then crisp up the skin side again for a minute or so, once more pouring any juice into the beans. Total cooking time for the breast will be 6 to 8 minutes. Add the breast to the beans.
- To serve, carve the sausage and duck breast into serving pieces and put on each of 4 or 6 plates. Top with beans and pork.