Cassoulet Adventure Comes to and end.....

M

music-city-missy

Well-known member
Decided to try and make it through class tonight. I just had to show them that cassoulet after all this if you know what I mean. I was going to lug the whole thing in and hubby looked at me as if I had gone off my rocker. And he doesn't even know that they have made us start parking back in the north fourty because they are building a new building right outside the door to the kitchen.

So I gave in and as carefully as I could spooned it into another dish that was perfect for a small cassoulet. I tried so hard to keep it in the layers with the crumbs on top but it didn't work very well. I then carried it carefully to my car and placed it inside this cooler I got from Costco (for hot or cold foods - has a great liner and works extremely well on hot foods since I've had another one by the same company!) that has a rolling cart you can put it on. Got to school and tried rolling that thing in. Well this is the first time I have used it and I didn't take the time to really look at it and it kept tipping over as I unloaded my stuff. Put my tool box on top and proceeded to class. So I have to write the company and tell them about the faulty design. I am about 5'6" and I cannot stand up and pull it. I can't imagine a man trying to use it. I would say that only those under 5'4" can easily pull it. But I made it to the building after one slip where I lost it and it flipped over but I had it packed well enough that it survived the flip.

Put it in the oven to stay warm (since I had put it in a room temp dish) while we prepared the rest of the meal. I should have just reheated it because it was in there a little too long and someone adjusted the temp up to cook the quiche so it got a little done around the edges and formed a nice very dark almost burnt crust on the bottom and sides.

But in the end it was a success. One person that is from the UK and lived in Paris for 3 years raved about it and kept talking about it lovingly even after the conversation had changed to the thoughts on the chocolate pot de creme - everyone looked at him rather funny when he commented how nice and tender the sausages were. And as we went back to clean the kitchen, he headed immediately for the pot to finish it off and heaped up a big plate of what was left to take home. And out of everyone, his opinion is the one that matters - he and I are alike in trying new things, trying to be authentic, spending our own money to bring things to class just because we want to try them and be challenged. He brought sweetbreads tonight to give you an idea. On our school budget, we don't get things like that.

So, all in all it was a success. Joe thanks for your help, support and advice. I will do again but 1/2 the recipe for sure. I did add the other quart of the bean stock and next time will start with more 'sauce' now that I know what I am doing. Will have to fix for SIL that goes to France all the time. And the duck confit was a BIG hit with DH - going to confit the breasts this weekend for him.

 
Just goes to show you what a sturdy dish you are, MCM. The cassoulet too!

I'm honored that you saw it through to completion. If you make it again it should be a breeze after this ordeal. If not, I've turned someone else on to the joy of duck confit.

Feel better soon, and enjoy the leftovers!

 
Haven't made it myself, but here is Emeril's recipe that Mark in Houston posted.

Duck Confit
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 14 hours
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
User Rating:


4 duck leg portions with thighs attached, (about 2 pounds) excess fat trimmed and reserved
1 tablespoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon table salt
4 cups olive oil
Lay the leg portions on a platter, skin side down. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and the black pepper. Place the garlic cloves, bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme on each of 2 leg portions. Lay the remaining 2 leg portions, flesh to flesh, on top. Put the reserved fat from the ducks in the bottom of a glass or plastic container. Top with the sandwiched leg portions. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Remove the duck from the refrigerator. Remove the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and duck fat and reserve. Rinse the duck with cool water, rubbing off some of the salt and pepper. Pat dry with paper towels.
Put the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and duck fat in the bottom of an enameled cast iron pot. Sprinkle evenly with the peppercorns and table salt. Lay the duck on top, skin side down. Add the olive oil. Cover and bake for 12 to 14 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bone.
Remove the duck from the fat. Strain the fat and reserve. To store the duck confit, place the duck leg portions in a container, cover with the reserved cooking fat, and store in the refrigerator. Alternately, pick the meat from the bones and place it in a stoneware container. Cover the meat with a thin layer of some of the strained fat. The duck confit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
The excess oil can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and used like butter for cooking. The tinge of duck taste in the oil is wonderful.
mark in houston

 
And here's Joe's famous Cassoulet including the duck confit recipe.

CASSOULET

Based on a recipe by Richard Olney. Serves
12.

TIMING:

The duck confit should be started several
days, or even several weeks, ahead. Soak
the beans the night before you plan to cook
them. The beans are first cooked with a
pig’s foot, salt pork, and sausage. Then
the flavorful bean liquid becomes the base
for a pork (or lamb) stew. You can do all
this over several days, then assemble and
bake the cassoulet the day you plan to
serve it. The cassoulet bakes for 3 hours,
giving you plenty of time to set the table,
wash salad greens, watch soap operas, etc.
before the guests arrive.


DUCK CONFIT:

2 or 3 roasting ducklings, around 5 lb. each
Salt, pepper, allspice and thyme

Remove the whole legs from the ducks.
Season generously with salt, pepper,
allspice and thyme. Cover and refrigerate
overnight.

Remove the wings and save with the bones
and giblets for stock.

Remove the breasts from the bone. Peel off
and save the skin. (Use the breast meat
for another meal.)

Remove any remaining skin from the
carcasses and pull out any loose fat from
the cavities. Cut all the skin and fat
into narrow strips. Spread out in a glass
baking dish and bake in a 350ºF oven,
tossing occasionally, for 30 - 45 minutes,
or until the cracklings are brown and
crisp. Strain and save the fat. Let it
cool, then cover and refrigerate with the
duck legs.

Drain the cracklings on paper towels. To
serve them reheat on a paper-towel-lined
baking sheet and season with salt, pepper
and allspice. Sprinkle on salad like
croutons, or munch them while you continue:

After the duck legs have marinated
overnight, wipe them dry. Reheat the fat
in a Dutch oven and add the duck legs.
They should be just covered (add a little
oil or lard if necessary). Poach gently,
uncovered, on very low heat, below the
simmer, for 2-3 hours, or until very tender
when pierced. Don’t boil, or the meat will
be dry.

Remove the duck legs to a clean bowl and
immediately strain the hot, clear fat over
them, leaving behind any liquid or
residue. Let cool completely, then cover
and refrigerate. As long as the duck is
completely covered by the fat and left
undisturbed it will keep for many weeks.

(Note: If you don’t have enough duck fat to
cover the legs you can poach them in what
fat you do have in a wide skillet, turning
often. You won’t be able to store the duck
confit-style, so use it within a few days
and save the fat in the freezer for the
next time.)

The jellied residue left behind, though
salty, can be degreased and used like a
meat glaze in sauces and stews. Add a
little to the final cassoulet sauce if you
wish.

(To serve the confit by itself: Warm up the
bowl and remove the duck legs from the
fat. Brown them in a skillet. Sauté some
potatoes in duck fat to go with them,
adding a little minced garlic, parsley,
salt and pepper when they’re almost done.
Delicious, but now you don’t have any
confit for the Cassoulet. Save the fat,
buy more ducks and return to top of page.)


BEANS:

2 lb. dried Lingot or Cannellini beans
1 pig’s foot, split
½ lb. or more lean salt pork, with rind
2 carrots, peeled and cut up
1 large onion, studded with 2 cloves
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Herb bouquet: Parsley, thyme and bay leaf
tied together or wrapped in cheesecloth
Salt
6-8 Sweet Italian sausages without fennel
seed, or other mild fresh sausage

Soak beans overnight. Drain.

Cut the rind from the salt pork and
reserve. Place the salt pork, the rind and
the pig’s foot in a large pot with cold
water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer
a few minutes, skimming off any scum that
rises. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Return to the pot and add the soaked beans
and enough water to cover by 2 inches.
Bring to a boil and simmer a few minutes,
skimming off scum until it stops rising.
Add the carrots, onion, garlic and herb
bouquet. Salt very lightly (liquid will be
concentrated later) and cook at a slow
simmer.

Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a skillet.
Add to the pot of beans just to cook
through, about 20 minutes. Remove and let
cool, then slice each sausage in half.

Remove the salt pork after it has cooked
about an hour. Let cool, then cut into
thick slices. Cut the slices into 1”
pieces.

Continue cooking the beans until just
tender. (Be careful not to overcook
because they will be baked again.) Remove
and discard the pig’s foot, pork rind,
vegetables and herb bouquet. Drain the
beans and save the liquid, which will be
used later. Cover and refrigerate the
beans, sausage and salt pork separately


PORK AND SAUCE:
(Lamb shoulder may be substituted for the
pork)

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tbs. duck fat or oil
3 lb. bone-in pork shoulder, sawed into 3”
chunks (have the butcher do it for you)
2 tbs. flour
1 cup dry white wine or vermouth
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Herb bouquet: same as for beans
3-4 Tomatoes, chopped

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the
fat and brown the onions and carrots.
Scrape out and reserve. Dry the meat and
brown it in the same pan, in batches if
necessary, adding a little more fat if
needed. Sprinkle lightly with salt just
before turning. When brown all over,
sprinkle with the flour and turn again.
Return the browned vegetables to the pan
and cook 3-4 minutes to cook the flour,
stirring once or twice.

Add the wine and scrape the pan with a
wooden spoon to deglaze. Add the garlic,
herb bouquet, tomatoes, and enough bean-
cooking liquid to cover the pork. (Save
any remaining liquid for basting, later).
Cook gently, just below the simmer, for
about1½ hours, or until the meat is tender,
skimming fat occasionally. Don’t boil.

Carefully remove the meat and set aside.
Strain the liquid into a wide saucepan,
pressing on the vegetables to extract all
the flavor. Place the pan over a medium
burner off center so that fat, scum and
skin will gather to one side as it simmers,
where you can spoon it off easily. Reduce
and skim for about 15 minutes to make the
sauce. Taste and add more salt if
necessary. The flavor should be nicely
concentrated.


FINAL ASSEMBLY:

An 8-quart casserole

2 garlic cloves
Duck confit 4-6 legs
The cooked beans
The cooked pork shoulder
Ground pepper
The sausage and salt pork pieces
The sauce
2 cups dry breadcrumbs
Large handful minced parsley
Coarsely cracked peppercorns
A few tbs. duck fat
A few cups leftover bean-cooking liquid, if
any, or duck or chicken stock, for basting

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Split the garlic
cloves and rub them all around the inside
of the casserole until they disintegrate
completely, leaving a coating of garlic
juice. (Or use a garlic press to mash the
garlic into the casserole, rub until juices
dry, then brush out the solid bits).

In a skillet, brown the duck legs on both
sides in a little of their fat. Drain and
cut each leg into thigh and drumstick. ( if
you only have four, cut the thighs in two
to make twelve pieces) Spread out in bottom
of casserole and cover with a third of the
beans.

Arrange the pork shoulder over the beans.
Season with ground pepper and cover with
another third of the beans.

Arrange the sausage and salt pork over the
beans, season with ground pepper and cover
with remaining beans. Pour sauce over all
to come just to the top layer of beans.
(Save any remaining sauce for basting).

(Note: If you assemble the cassoulet ahead
of time and refrigerate it, stop short of
adding the sauce. When you’re ready to
bake, heat the sauce before adding it to
the cassoulet. Such a large casserole
won’t cook evenly if it’s ice cold.)

Mix the breadcrumbs and parsley together
and spread over the top. Sprinkle with the
cracked pepper. Drizzle the duck fat over
the top.

Place the Cassoulet in the 425ºF oven until
it begins to bubble. Reduce heat to 350ºF.

Bake at 350ºF until a crust begins to form,
then break crust with a spoon and baste
with some of the remaining sauce, bean
liquid, or stock. Cassoulet should just
bubble gently the whole time. (Reduce heat
if necessary.) Continue to bake, breaking
the crust several times and basting, for
about 3 hours total, letting a final crust
form. Remove from oven and let sit at least
15 minutes before serving.

Break the crust at the table and serve from
the casserole, making sure everyone gets
some of everything.

joe

 
What an adventure!

I admire your courage and tenacity. I'm going to have to try this recipe some time. It's just so over the top. LOL Congratulations!

 
How would you confit the duck breasts? I have some in the freezer

and would like to give this a try. Kudos to you MCM, I just read through Joe's recipe and had no idea just how much work this was, good job!

 
Marilyn, it's a way of storing duck or goose for the winter, after you have harvested the foie gras.

I bet you've always wondered what to do in that situation.

The meat is salted overnight, then it is simmered very slowly in duck fat for several hours, then it is stored covered by the fat, which seals it, in a cool cellar. (Missy used it right away, without storing it in fat.)

For duck, usually just the leg-thighs are used, and for goose the whole bird is used.

Once it's removed from it's bowl of fat and sauteed to crisp the skin, it's surprisingly un-greasy because the fat has rendered out. It's so tender you can practically eat it with a spoon.

 
Just like the leg quarters....

Actually in doing research on French cooking, one article from Saveur they did the whole duck so I said what the heck. You won't have enough fat without starting with a whole duck or buying some duck fat. But all you do is season the meat and refrigerate overnight. Then dry it off and put in as small of a pan as it will fit (unless you have a ton of fat) and then pour the warmed fat over it. Then cook it real low to keep it below a simmer and cook for 3-4 hours. Remove the meat to another dish and strain the fat over the meat to seal completely and put in the fridge. It's that easy. I had seen Charlie Palmer do it years ago and wanted to try it.

You can then take the meat and shred it, pound it and mix with some of the fat to make rillettes which really is potted meat.

 
Thanks Missy...

I don't have any duck fat, but my friend that gave me the breasts will probably have a whole duck in her freezer that I can use. I am really curious about this recipe and want to give it a try.

 
You won't regret making the confit - DH hasn't stopped raving about it

he's now wanting to know if I can start making more duck like that. After all he said, at $2.29-$2.99#, he said it's cheaper than beef. I think I have gotten myself into something.

 
Missy, did you try the breasts? I've been afraid to confit them because it seems they'd be tough...

I'd probably do it more often if I only had to buy one duck instead of two.

 
I'll let you know Sunday. Plan to do them tomorrow

then try one out on Sunday and let the other three set. One French lady did the whole bird so I figured what the heck. I am just going to be very careful to keep the poaching at a very low temp - I find that tends to keep most breast meat tender.

 
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