My husband, Rick, decided last weekend to make a cassoulet and started by taking a look at about 10 different recipes.  His intent was to try to make it easy (for instance, he wasn’t going to make duck confit from scratch) but to still retain the integrity of the dish (for instance, starting with dry beans rather than canned).  This is his creation.  It’s not really alot of work but it does take a day - great for a snowy weekend.  This version used chicken Andouille but you could easily substitute Kielbasa as well.

Rick’s Cassoulet

1 lb. Great Northern or Navy dried beans
1 large smoked ham hock
3 Bay leaves
1 1/2 onions
5 cloves garlic
5 Andouille Sausages
Duck Confit, removed from bones of 3 legs/thighs
3/4 cups plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbls. dried thyme

Rinse the beans and put into a heavy pan with the ham hock, one onion quartered, the bay leaves and cover with water, about 10 to 12 cups.  Bring to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cover.  Cook for 2 hours.  Remove the ham hock, bay leaves and onion from the beans.  Drain the beans and reserve the cooking liquid.  Remove the meat from the ham hocks, cut into pieces and toss the skin, fat and bones.

Combine the 1/2 onion, garlic and 1/2 cup water in a blender or food processor to make a paste.  Saute the sausages and the paste about 10 minutes being careful not to burn the paste.

Add about half of the beans to a 5 to 6 quart heavy pan.  Cut the sausages into thirds and layer them with the paste on the beans.  Layer the ham hock meat on the sausages and then the confit.  Cover with the rest of the beans.  Add enough of the bean cooking water to just cover the beans.  Add the bread crumbs, parsley and thyme to for a crust on top of the beans.

Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour and reduce the temperature to 250 degrees and cook for another 2 hours.  Remove from the oven and cool.  Return to a 350 degree oven and cook for 1 hour and reduce the temperature to 250 degrees and cook for another 2 hours.

Add cooking liquid as necessary (about 4 times), pushing the crust down each time.

Tags: cassoulet, duck confit, smoked ham hock, white beans