Cassoulet

INGREDIENTS

MEAT

2 duck confit legs

4 sausages, preferably with garlic

1lb pork belly with skin

1 unsmoked ham hock with skin

duck fat for cooking (saved from confit legs)

SEASONING

1 pealed yellow onion

1 head garlic unpealed

4 garlic cloves pealed

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp tomato paste

5 oz bread crumbs

BEANS

1.5lb of Haricot beans (or other white non-butter beans) soaked overnight.

Beans should have soaked overnight. Drain beans into large casserole dish (I use my Le Creuset)
Fill pot to with enough fresh water to slightly cover beans
Add onion, garlic head, herbs, ham hock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to let simmer for 2 hours
Fry duck legs, pork belly, and sausages separately in duck fat until all are golden brown
When done, let cool, cut half the sausage into large chunks and the other half evenly in two long halves
Strip meat from duck legs in large chunks
When the beans are done simmering, remove onion and herbs and discard
Remove ham hock and let cool, before stripping meat from it.
In a small bowl, squeeze garlic head from skins, and mix in tomato paste and fresh uncooked garlic cloves and stir together.
Preheat oven to 275f
Drain beans and reserve the liquid in separate bowl
Grease bottom of pot with duck fat, and then pour in the beans, meat pieces (saving the long sausage halves), duck fat, and tomato/garlic mix and stir together
Add back reserved liquid to just cover, with a little extra water if needed
Fry breadcrumbs briefly in any remaining duck fat, just to make a little crispy
Top cassoulet with thin layer of crumbs
Bake for two hours, and once crust has formed stir crumbs into cassoulet.
Top with sausage pieces and top with remaining bread crumbs.
Bake an additional 30 min or until golden crust is formed
Let cool slightly before serving