The southwest's slow monument: white beans, duck confit, sausage, and pork under a breadcrumb crust broken and re-formed as it bakes. Cassoulet is a schedule, not a recipe — this one is honest about it.
600 g
🫘 Black Beans ›
stand-in: white beans, soaked overnight
4
🦆 Duck Legs ›
confit (see the confit recipe)
400 g
🌭 Sausage ›
garlicky, thick
Mise en place
Before you start
Prep checklist
Black Beans — stand-in: white beans, soaked overnight
Duck Legs — confit (see the confit recipe)
Sausage — garlicky, thick
Simmer the soaked beans with onion, carrot, and thyme until just tender, 60–75 minutes. Reserve the liquor.
Brown the pork belly and sausage; layer in a deep pot with beans, tomatoes, garlic, and the confit legs. Add bean liquor + stock to barely cover.
Bake uncovered at 150°C for 2 hours. When a crust forms, break it and baste — tradition demands this up to seven times; three is honorable.
💡
Each broken crust enriches the beans beneath. This ritual IS cassoulet.
Final 20 minutes: breadcrumbs over the top at 180°C for the last, uncracked golden lid. Rest 20; serve in bowls with dark bread.
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
Match the weight of the dish — ask the AI Chef for a specific bottle.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
Crusty bread or buttered rice
·
Roasted seasonal vegetables
Garnish
Fresh herbs added off the heat
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