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My cooking tips for
the famous French
peasant dish
Cassoulet
 Pointers
 Soaking
- The beans will double in volume when soaked, so be sure to use a large enough
bowl and sufficient water.
Water
- By changing the water in step 2, you minimize the flatulent effect of the
beans.
Confit
- If you can make your own confit d'oie or confit de canard, by all means
substitute it for the duckling in this recipe.
Garlic
- To help prevent it from burning and thereby becoming bitter, proceed promptly
from step 5 to step 6.
Tomatoes
- If fresh vine-ripened tomatoes are unavailable, substitute canned imported
Italian plum tomatoes.
Cooking
pot
- The traditional casserole for the cassoulet is earthenware.
Sausage
- Select a garlicky sausage, such as kielbasa.
Salt
- Should you add the salt at the beginning of the recipe, the bean skins will
unnecessarily toughen.
Serving
suggestions
Side
dish
- A cassoulet can be a meal all by itself, but a green salad on the side does
the "pride of Languedoc" justice.
Beverage
- Serve a medium-bodied red wine with some acidity - Languedoc, the wine of the
region, complements its gastronomic compatriot admirably.
Variations
Meats
- Experiment with other meats. How about fresh lamb or mutton, fresh or smoked
goose or game birds, calves' feet, veal or pork breast, pork rind, smoked pig's
cheek, or ham hocks?
Crust
- After pushing the crust into the bean and meat mixture, return the casserole
to the oven and let a new crust form. Repeat this cycle two or three times.
Leftovers
Plan
ahead
- A cassoulet is a natural leftover dish, as its flavor improves each time it is
stored and reheated, Therefore, make more than you plan to eat the first day.
Pot
sizes
- As the quantity of the cassoulet dwindles, transfer it to a smaller casserole.
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cassoulet
