With a traditional focus, this Cassoulet is based on the Castelnaudary-style with a crunchy bread crumb topping. 

Come-together Cassoulet (serves 12)

Ingredients

DUCK CONFIT

6 duck legs

6 Tbs salt

4 sprigs thyme

4  garlic cloves, smashed

1 Tbs black peppercorns

2 oranges, zest only

500 g duck fat

Prick skin on duck legs all over with the tip of a paring knife. Rub legs with salt, making sure to massage into flesh and skin. Place legs in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto legs. Rest a plate on top of legs and weigh down. Place in the fridge overnight.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Remove the duck from the fridge and wash off the salt. Place skin side down into a roasting pan, place the herbs, garlic, orange zest and peppercorns on top. Cover with duck fat and foil. Bake in the oven until soft and tender. This should take about 3 hours. Remove and reserve in the fat until final assembly. 

BEANS

250 g cannellini beans, soaked overnight

2  cloves

1 large onion

200 g smoked bacon, whole

2  carrots, whole and peeled

1 head of garlic, cut in halve

4 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

salt and ground black pepper

Make sure the beans are soaked in plenty of water overnight.

Place the beans in a large cast iron pot, add water to cover. Stud the onion with the cloves and together with all the other ingredients (except the salt) place in the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook the beans till soft, remove from the heat and drain. Discard all the vegetables but keep the bacon.

PORK

1 kg  pork shoulder, cut into large chunks

60 ml vegetable oil

1 large onion, peels and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled, chopped

4 garlic cloves, sliced

4 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tin whole peeled tomatoes

2 lt chicken stock

In a large cast iron pot, caramelise the pork shoulder chunks to golden brown. Remove and reserve.

Add the vegetables to the same cast iron pot and brown slightly, add the pork back together with all the other ingredients. Simmer for two hours until the pork is almost soft. Cool in the stock, then remove.

Keep both the meat and the stock.

Now is the time to assemble the cassoulet. 

BREADCRUMB TOPPING

100 g breadcrumbs, fresh

1 garlic clove, crushed

20 g parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Stir all ingredients together and season. Reserve for final assembly.

ASSEMBLY

6 fresh Toulouse sausages

Cooked beans

Pork shoulder and its cooking liquid

Confit duck legs

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Place half the beans in a large cast iron pot, add the pork shoulder, confit duck legs and sausages in a flat layer. Cover with the remaining beans. Cover the cassoulet with the stock and place into the oven for 2 to 3 hours.

Don't stir.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top, place back into the oven for another hour until golden brown.

Serve with a butter lettuce salad, proper Dijon mustard and a delicious glass or two of the 2022 La Motte Millennium.