CASSOULET
SERVES 12
900g /2 lb dried haricot beans
225g/8oz salt pork or unsmoked bacon
1 onion, studded with 8 cloves
1 bouquet garni
2 cloves garlic, crushed
450g/1lb pork blade bone
225g/8oz Toulouse sausage or Cumberland sausage
1 tablespoon tomato purée
675g/1½ lb boned breast of lamb
8 large tomatoes, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh white breadcrumbs
1. Wash the beans well in cold water and leave to soak overnight. Blanch in clean water for 5 minutes, then drain.
2. Rinse well and place in a pan of fresh cold water, making sure the beans are covered. Add the rind of the salt port or bacon, the onion and cloves, bouquet garni and garlic.
3. Bring to the boil, then skim and simmer for 1¾ hours, or until the beans are very soft.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190º C / 375º F/gas mark 5. Roast the lamb, salt pork, pork and sausages in the oven for 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked and the sausages brown.
5. Remove the meat from the oven, tip off and reserve the fat, slice the sausages into 2.5cm /1 in pieces and cut the meat into 2.5 cm /1 in chunks.
6. When the beans are cooked strain them, reserving the cooking liquor. Discard the rind, onion and bouquet garni. Add the tomato purée.
7. Turn the oven temperature down to 180º C / 350º F/gas mark 4
8. Place a layer of beans in a deep ovenproof dish. Cover with a layer of meat, sausage, tomatoes and herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Continue to layer up, finishing with a layer of beans. Pour over the cooking liquor until it nearly reaches the top, and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the top. Reserve any remaining cooking liquid in case the cassoulet gets dry.
9. Cook uncovered in the oven for 1 ½ hours. If the breadcrums become dry and crusty, stir them into the cassoulet and add more liquid if necessary. Sprinkle more breadcrumbs on top. At the end of the cooking time the meat and beans should be very tender and creamy and the top crisp and brown.
Taken from Leiths Cookery Bible by Prue Leith and Caroline Waldegrave – Third Edition