http://www.ffcook.com/pages/Wrecipearch47.htmCASSOULET
Cassoulet is the most famous dish from South west France. Cassoulet can be translated as "bean pot stew" or "white bean stew" or "meat and bean casserole".
Origin of cassoulet is not very clear some historian say it is an Arab dish, some other says it was created in Castelnaudary during the Hundred Years' war
(14-15th Century).
In France, there are as many cassoulet recipes as cook but for all recipes there are some basic rules to follow : A good cassoulet has to include 70% of haricot beans, juice and aromates and 30% of meat and you have to keep in mind that it is a simmered dish.
There are 3 famous recipes:
- Cassoulet de Castelnaudary, is made up with pork meat.
- Cassoulet de Toulouse, is more rich than the Castelnaudary recipe as you add
in particular lamb and sausages.
- Cassoulet de Carcassonne : is also made up with partridge.
Contrary to what some people think, cassoulet is good for health and relatively light, 700 to 800 kcal for one platter. However cassoulet is rather a winter dish and when you serve one, consider it is a complete meal so do not plan more than a salad and a light dessert or fruit with it.
Ingredients for 8 persons : 600 gr [1.3 lbs] white kidney beans (haricot beans) / 800 gr [1.8 lbs] bacon / 1 kg [2.2 lbs] pork meat (loin, knuckle…) / 1 kg [2.2 lbs] lamb meat / 8 pieces of preserved goose / 1 Toulouse sausage / 1 pork rind /
400 gr [14 oz] tomatoes / 200 gr [7 oz] carrots / 7 onions / 10 garlic cloves /
5 cl [2 fl oz] olive oil / 1 bouquet garni (bunch of aromatic herbs) / 3 cloves / thyme / salt & pepper
- Soak the beans into water during 1 night then rinse them generously.
- Cover the bottom of a large casserole with the pork rind and display the beans on it.
Add the bacon, the pealed onions pricked with the cloves, the bouquet garni,
3 crushed garlic cloves, the pealed and cut (into 8 pieces) carrots. Season with salt & pepper, cover with water ; put a lid and simmer for 2 hours.
- During this simmering, fry the pork and lamb pieces in oil. Add 4 pealed and minced onions and 2 pealed and minced garlic cloves. Spread with thyme then
add the tomatoes cut into pieces. Season with salt & pepper, then add 5 cl /
2 fl oz water, cover and let simmer for 1 hour.
- Right before the beans are cooked, take out the bouquet garni, the onions and the pork rind.
Cut the rind into small cubes then put them back with the beans, together with the sausage and the preserved goose. Add the meats with all the cooking juice and other ingredients. Gently mix and simmer for another 20 minutes.
This must be served very hot but can be re-heated….
