Cassoulet Dish from Southern France

Cassoulet (French pronunciation: ​[ka.su.lɛ], from Occitan caçolet [kasuˈlet]) is a rich, slow-cooked casserole originating in the south of France, containing white beans (haricots blancs) and meat (typically bacon, sausages, duck or chicken and sometimes mutton).

The dish is named after its traditional cooking vessel, the cassole, a deep, round, earthenware pot.

The region once known as the province of Languedoc is the traditional homeland of cassoulet, especially the towns of Carcassonne and Castelnaudary (near Revel), the town which claims to be where the dish originated.

Ingredients and Recipe below the Video
Photos at end of Post

Ingredients (serve 6 to 8 people)

Cannelloni Beans 24 hours in water (3 cups)

Carrots (3 medium)

Onion (1 medium diced)

Diced Tomatoes (1 can 14 oz)

Garlic (3-4 cloves)

Celery (2 stalks)

Anaheim Pepper (1 cut in slices)

Lamb Sausage (3)

Chicken Breast (1 cut in 1-2 inches pieces) if no duck confit is available.

Bacon (1-2 think slices cut in inches)

Chicken Broth (1 quart)

Coconut oil if you do not have duck fat (2 table spoons)

Salt (only after end of cooking, otherwise beans will have a hard skin)

Pepper (to taste)

Cumin (1-2 tea spoon)

Turmeric (1 tea spoon)

White Vinegar (2 table spoon)

Bread crumbs

Recipe

In a skillet Onion and Garlic with 1 table spoon of coconut oil until transparent (do not brown).

In a skillet brown the lamb sausages with 1 table spoons of coconut oil.

In a skillet brown the chicken pieces with 1 table spoon of coconut oil.

In the skillet where you brown the chicken cook lightly the bacon pieces and remove the liquid fat.

Mix all the ingredients (except salt and bread crumbs) in a crok-pot  (or slow cooker) and add water if necessary to cover the beans. Let simmer for 3-4 hours at high, then 6 hours at low (or until the beans are tender). 

Now add salt to taste.

Before serving spread bread crumbs on the top and broil for few minutes.

PHOTOS

White beans soaking in water

Ingredients

Garlic & Onion

Lamb Sausages

Chicken Breast

Bacon

Ingredients ready to be mixed in the crok-pot

Serving for 2

North-African Lamb Couscous

Plate of North-African Lamb Couscous

Ingredients (serve 6):

• 2 tablespoon of Harissa (Hot Chili Sauce)
• 1 can (15 oz) of Organic Tomato Sauce
• 1 can (6 oz) of Organic Tomato Paste
• 2 tablespoons of Organic Cumin
• 2 tablespoons of Organic Garlic Granules
• 2 tablespoons of Organic Premium Olive Oil
• 1 quart of Organic Chicken Broth
• 1 Natural New Zealand Lamb Shank
• 3 slices (1 inch thick) of Natural New Zealand Leg of Lamb
• 5 medium Organic Carrots cut in long slices
• 2 Organic White Turnips cut in medium size pieces
• 1 bunch of Organic Swiss Chard (remove the green part of the leaves and use only the white ribs you cut in pieces 2-3 inches long - keep the green to make later a soup with potatoes)
• 1 Organic Artichoke
•  NOTE: You may not be able to find "blette" in the US-Canada which is used in original recipes. The combination of Swiss Chard + Artichoke has a similar flavor to "blettes"
• 2 cans of Chick Peas (also known as Garbanzo Beans)
• 1 minced Organic Onion
• 1 Organic Zucchini cut in slices
• 3 cups of Organic Couscous
• 2 tablespoons of Organic Unsalted Butter
• Sea Salt to taste

How to prepare the North-African Lamb Couscous:

In a large roasting pan mix Harissa, Tomato Sauce & Paste,
Cumin, Garlic, Olive Oil, Chicken Broth

Add the Minced Onion, then add the meat.

In the middle put the Artichoke. Add the Carrots,
Swiss Chard Ribs and Turnips + Salt to taste

Add Purified Water to almost cover
the ingredients as seen on the photo. 

Cover and put in the oven at 250 for 4 hours.
Then add the Chick Peas and Zucchini.
Put back covered in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the Roasting Pan from the oven and put in one dish or bowl
 the meat (remove the bone from the shank) & the vegetables,
and in an other one the Marga (the liquid).

Heat 4 cups of Marga to boiling point and remove from fire.
Add slowly the 3 cups of Couscous and mix.

Add the butter and mix well. Cover until ready to serve.

In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons of Harissa and
2 cups of Marga to make the Hot Sauce.
Bring to the table: Hot Sauce, bowl of Marga,
the dish with the meat and vegetables
and the dish with the Couscous.

From left to right: Hot Sauce, Marga, Couscous.

In each plate put couscous, vegetable and meat.
Pour Marga over the Couscous until real wet.
Add Hot Sauce to taste.

Almost ready to be eaten. It is delicious!