quote:

Originally posted by Badger:

quote:

Originally posted by Bella Donna:
a pot roast that turned into stew,

What?

That's for when you feel really cold. Quite deliscious, and nutritious too.

Hello, nippy in Texas. Do you want to learn how to make cassoulet? Or anything else with duck?

You're going to give cassoulet recipes to someone who can't pick out a bread without asking ten questions and tenderizes its meat under the wheels of a car?

How bad can it be? In the worst case scenario, we'll see another wave of riots and car burnings in France, but that's about it.

Bring on the cassoulet...can I substitute chicken for duck?

You can even use gold fish if you like.

I don't think it makes any difference what it uses.

quote:

Originally posted by Bella Donna:
Bring on the cassoulet...can I substitute chicken for duck?

Oh, no............. Stop Substituting Already!!!!

PH

Give me a break. I've made many a cassoulet without duck. Got rabbit?

Bella,

Cassoulet prepared correctly is very good and very demanding. It can take 2-3 days depending on the preparation. I think duck is an integral part of the recipe. You can certainly make similar dishes without it, and they may be just as good, but they won't be the same. If you haven't had it, I would go to a good bistro and give it a go. Then, from the flavor components, you can deduct for yourself which substitutions may work for your taste.

I have actually had some really good cassoulet made by wineismylife and PURPLE but a 2-3 day commitment making this dish...forget it

quote:

Originally posted by Bella Donna:
I have actually had some really good cassoulet made by wineismylife and PURPLE but a 2-3 day commitment making this dish...forget it

hell to her that is almost like a relationship

It is more interested in convenience than quality. Fast food was invented for it.

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
Give me a break. I've made many a cassoulet without duck. Got rabbit?

Let me know how the chicken cassoulet works for you.....

PH

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
Give me a break. I've made many a cassoulet without duck. Got rabbit?

Let me know how the chicken cassoulet works for you.....

PH

Can't do just chicken. Gotta have something fattier in there as well. Must have that goo factor going.

Lamb sausage and duck confit are a must for me.

I made some jambalaya this afternoon. Sure hit the spot on a cold day. I used hand shredded chicken, smoked sausage, and shrimp for meat. This recipe was taken from foodtv.com:


2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon crushed red chile flakes
4 bay leaves
1/2 cup canola oil
8 ounces tomato puree
1 (32-ounce) can tomatoes, diced in puree
1 (32-ounce) can tomatoes, diced
1 pound andouille or other hot, smoked sausage
1 quart chicken stock
4 cups green peppers, diced
4 cups yellow onions, diced
Cooked Rice
1 pound chicken, boned and cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup scallions, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Saute the garlic, chiles, and bay leaves in the oil. Once the garlic is fragrant, add all the tomato products and simmer, stirring for about 45 minutes. Slice and roast the sausage for about 20 minutes. Drain the fat off.
Add to the tomatoes, chicken stock, sausage, green peppers, and onions and simmer another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, add salt and pepper. The jambalaya is finished when it has thickened and turned brick color, without any more oil coming to the surface. At this point, cook a big pot of rice to mix with the sauce (equal amounts of rice to the sauce) and add any meats you want to the jambalaya sauce (chicken pieces, shrimp, alligator, veal etc.) Poach the meat in the sauce to cook it. Add scallions at the last minute for color.

BUMP

This is the recipe that I will attempt to tackle (I plan to only use 1 duck confit leg to reduce fat content and canned beans to reduce 1 day's worth of work):

For cassoulet
1 1/2 lb dried white beans such as Great Northern or cannellini (3 2/3 cups), picked over and rinsed
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
2 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 qt water
2 onions, chopped
1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic plus 2 cloves, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 confit duck legs
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb saucisson à l'ail or other fully cooked garlic pork sausage (not cured or dried), casing removed

For garlic-crumb topping
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from a baguette)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Special equipment: cheesecloth; kitchen string; a 17- by 11-inch heavy roasting pan or 7-qt shallow flameproof casserole dish

Make cassoulet:
Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl and soak at room temperature at least 8 and up to 24 hours, or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below). Drain well in a colander.

Make a bouquet garni by wrapping parsley, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, and 2 sprigs thyme in cheesecloth and tying with kitchen string, then put in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot along with pork shoulder and water (4 quarts). Simmer, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, 1 1/4 hours.

Add beans, onions, carrot, and chopped garlic and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beans are just tender, about 45 minutes.

While beans simmer, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners and heat 1 tablespoon oil in roasting pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown duck legs, turning occasionally to brown skin and meat all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer duck legs with tongs to a platter as browned.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from roasting pan, then reduce heat to moderately low and cook halved garlic cloves, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Drain bean and pork mixture in a colander set over a large bowl (discard bouquet garni). Stir salt and pepper into broth in bowl and reserve.

Spread bean and pork mixture in roasting pan (with garlic halves), then nestle duck legs, skin sides up, in mixture. Add remaining 3 sprigs thyme and 6 cups reserved broth (liquid should come up around base of duck legs; reserve remaining broth, covered and chilled, for reheating if making dish ahead, or for another use). Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes.

While cassoulet bakes, heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. If necessary, halve sausage crosswise to fit in skillet, then brown, turning occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cool slightly. When sausage is cool enough to handle, halve pieces lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Nestle sausage into cassoulet and bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes. Gently stir beans, mashing some with back of spoon, to thicken broth before serving.

Prepare garlic-crumb topping while cassoulet finishes baking:
Cook garlic in oil in cleaned 10-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until crumbs are crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in parsley.

Serve cassoulet with crumb topping.

Cooks' notes:
• To quick-soak beans, cover dried beans with cold water by 2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart pot. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, over moderate heat 2 minutes. Remove from heat and soak beans, uncovered, 1 hour.
• Cassoulet can be made 3 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350°F oven 30 minutes. If beans have soaked up the liquid, add some of reserved broth before reheating.

Bella,

If you are going to reduce the duck content by 85%, just don't cook this. You'll totally miss the point and will NOT have cassoulet.

Oh, and soaking beans is not work.

PH

I had to travel 300+ miles to get 1 duck confit leg because I couldn't find it anywhere locally at $8 a pop at Spec's in downtown Houston There is always a duck pond nearby (just kidding-I always have to put this now since people don't have a sense of humor)

D'Artagnan.com

Will ship. Do it right, Bella!

PH

Try a chicken and sausage gumbo. I cheat and use a Roux mix.

quote:

Originally posted by Bella Donna:
I've tried taco soup, tomato basil soup, chili, a pot roast that turned into stew, lamb stew. Anymore recipes or ideas?