Entree: France – Toulouse / Languedoc – Cassoulet de Toulouse (Toulouse-style cassoulet (white bean stew with duck confit))

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 3 hrs

Total 3 hrs 30 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (450 g) dried white beans (Tarbais or cannellini), soaked overnight and drained
- 4 duck legs confit (whole) (about 2 lb / 900 g), drained
- 8 oz (225 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 6 oz (170 g) pork sausage (Toulouse or kielbasa), cut into large pieces
- 4 cups (960 ml) chicken or duck stock
- 1 medium onion (about 110 g), chopped
- 1 medium carrot (about 60 g), chopped
- 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves (approx 2 g)
- 2 sprigs (approx 2 g) fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) duck fat or olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a large Dutch oven, heat duck fat or oil over medium-high heat. Brown pork shoulder pieces; remove and set aside. Brown sausage pieces briefly; remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 5–7 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Return pork and sausage to pot; add drained beans, bay leaves, thyme and stock. Bring to a simmer.
3. Cover and transfer to oven; bake gently until beans are tender and meat is nearly falling apart, about 1½–2 hours. Stir occasionally and add more stock if beans are drying.
4. Remove pot from oven. Nestle duck confit legs into the bean mixture skin-side up. Return uncovered to oven and bake until top is bubbling and duck skin is crisp, about 30–40 minutes. For a crustier top, lightly mash a portion of beans on top during the last 10 minutes.
5. Remove bay and thyme stems, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve warm.