Cassoulet
This is a quick and easy way of making the classic French peasants' stew of sausages, beans and duck - enjoy with crusty bread to soak up the deliciously rich sauce
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
10
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
30
MINUTES
Ingredients
4 large Toulouse Sausages
1 duck breast
250g smoked bacon or rashers, cut into lardons
1 large onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp tomato purée
80ml red wine
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tins of butter beans, drained
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp grain mustard
sea salt
freshly-cracked black pepper
a little olive oil
60g coarse breadcrumbs
Method
In a casserole, over a medium-high heat, brown the sausage and duck breast until they are golden and sizzling on all sides. Take the meat out of the pan and set aside. Add the onions, bacon and garlic to the pan cooking for 5-6 minutes until the onion is softened and the bacon is turning crisp.
Pour in the red wine, allowing it to sizzle away until it begins to evaporate and thicken with the cooking fat. Add the tomato purée, stirring it in well before adding the tinned tomatoes. Add back the sausage and duck breast, bringing the whole lot to the boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the beans, bay leaves, mustard and a little sea salt and black pepper. Simmer gently for around 15 minutes.
Scatter over the breadcrumbs on top, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt before placing under a hot grill for a minute or two until golden. Serve hot.
