BEAN CASSOULET, HEIRLOOM

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This is a favorite at our dinner shows. It is very versatile as we don’t have to make it a traditional cassoulet. We can for example make it vegetarian by changing the stock to water or vegetable stock and eliminating meat.

It is also easy to change up when we have a little something protein to “make-over” like some duck confit, we just add it to our pot. And if mushrooms are in and we love our mushrooms, we might throw some in with or without the meat.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup dried cannellini beans

  • 1/2 cup dried  red kidney, small beans
  • 1/2 cup dried fava or other bean
  • (1 1/2 cup dried beans altogether)
  • EVOO for cooking
  • 1 cleaned leek, minced (white section only)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 head fennel, minced (may sub celery)
  • 1 carrot, minced
  • 2 cups plain roasted chicken stock, heated or water/vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon lavender
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander salt
  • 1 recipe for bread crumb topping
  • For garnish: 1 tablespoon tarragon leaves; 1 tablespoon chive, minced

Method:

Soak beans overnight in heavily salted water (3 Tablespoons salt to 1 gallon water). Heat some EVOO in deep pot. Add leeks and garlic and cook until translucent, not brown. Add celery, carrot for two more minutes. Add drained, rinsed beans and stock; cook on simmer until beans are just tender about 50 minutes. Add herbs and seasoning, careful not to make salty. Just before service add bread crumb topping over top of beans and lightly brown in 500ºF oven. Garnish with tarragon and chives

BREAD CRUMB TOPPING (optional)



Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

  • 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1-2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

     

Method:

Toss bread crumbs, cheese and melted butter together and spread over top of cooked beans. Bake for 3-5 minutes in hot 500ºF oven to brown. Remove from oven and reserve warm for service. At service sprinkle on fresh herbs.




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