CookTeaser

Cassoulet and a wintry weekend evening go together. The main ingredients blend well in this kind of provincial dish. Duck Confit, Slab Bacon, Kielbasa, Pork Butt, White Beans and Vegetables. The Demi Glace rounds out the Cassoulet and imparts a necessary depth of flavor. It is not indispensable, but if you can, add it.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb Great Northern White Beans
4 oz slab Bacon, cut into Lardons & boiled gently for 10 minutes
8 oz Polish sausages (Kielbasa will work)
2 Duck Confit Legs & Thighs
8 oz of Pork Butt
3 Carrots, sliced
2 Onions, chunked
3 Garlic Cloves, peeled
28 oz can of San Marzano whole Tomatoes
2 Ounces of Demi Glace Gold (online from More than Gourmet)
1/2 Cup of Chicken Broth
Herb Bouquet of Bay Leaf

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Cover the Beans with cold water, bring to the boil and cook 5 minutes, then drain. Put the Beans into a large casserole and cover with fresh hot water.

3. Add the Bacon, all the rest of the Meat, Vegetables, Garlic, Tomatoes and Herbs. Adjust seasonings. Heat to the simmer on the top of the stove. Then set in the preheated oven to simmer slowly for 2 hours. (After 1 hour, stir.).

4. Dissolve the Demi Glace Gold in the heated Chicken Broth & add to the Cassoulet while it’s still hot. Mix together & serve.

Serves Many

A CookTale

Rather than going into poetic raptures about how I discovered this wonderful recipe, I’m simply going to transfer it directly from the Cook’s Illustrated recipe originally published years ago. It has served us well for as long as I can recall. Try it, you’ll like it!

INGREDIENTS Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

1/2 C Ketchup or Chili Sauce
4 TB Brown Sugar
4 tsp Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar

INGREDIENTS For The Meat Loaf

2 tsp Vegetable Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped medium dice
2 medium Garlic Cloves, minced
2 large Eggs
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
1/2 C whole Milk or plain Yogurt
1 lb ground Beef Chuck
1/2 lb ground Pork
1/2 lb ground Veal
2/3 C Saltine crackers, crushed (about 16), or quick oatmeal, or 1-1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/3 C minced fresh Parsley Leaves
6-8 ounces bacon, thin sliced (8 to 12 slices, depending on loaf shape)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the glaze: mix all ingredients in small saucepan, set aside.

2. For the Meat Loaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add Onion and Garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.

3. Mix Eggs with Thyme, Salt, Pepper, Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, Pepper Sauce, and Milk or Yogurt. Add Egg mixture to Meat in large bowl along with Crackers, Parsley, and cooked Onion and Garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and Meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional Milk or Yogurt, a couple tablespoons at a time until mix no longer sticks.)

4. Turn Meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking pan. Brush with half the Glaze, then arrange Bacon slices, crosswise, over the Loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only Bacon tip ends under loaf.

5. Bake Loaf until Bacon is crisp and Loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining Glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice Meat Loaf and serve, passing extra Glaze separately.

METHOD

1 Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat a large skillet & add the Peanut Oil. Add the Chicken, skin side down, season with Salt & Pepper & brown well on one side for about 5 minutes; turn & brown lightly on the other side for 3 minutes. Set aside in a large bowl.

2. Add the Sausage, Onion, Bell Pepper & Garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the Sausage is lightly browned. Transfer to the bowl.

3. Add the Potatoes, Rosemary & Red Pepper Flakes. Cook for a few minutes to begin to brown the Potatoes. Return the contents of the bowl to the skillet & toss together.

4. Transfer to a baking pan & oven bake for about 20
minutes. Do not overcook the Thighs, remove them after 10 minutes if necessary. Cover them with foil to keep warm.

5. Remove the pan from the oven, return the Thighs to the pan & gently toss it all together.

6. Ready to plate and serve.