Look Away Vegan Friends.....aka Cassoulet Recipe

I was rather pleased with my cassoulet at the Kristi Rose/Fats Kaplin House Concert......so I thought I'd share the recipe I used.  It's from the cookbook Perfect Recipes for Having People Over....by Pam Anderson (Ernie always inserts a joke here for better or worse) and indeed it IS a good cookbook.  I've happily made the best Sloppy Joes ever (I know....and when is the last time you had a sloppy joe?...but they're great!) and various other things....many of its pages are becoming wrinkled and spotted which is definitely the sign of a good cookbook....  Nothing exotic but REALLY strong recipes.....

Simple Cassoulet
Perfect Recipes for Having People Over, 2005

3 lbs boneless lamb shoulder roast, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes (or a combination of lamb and boneless pork shoulder roast)
3 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb mild Italian sausages
1/2  lb smoked cooked sausages (such as kielbasa), cut into 6 pieces each
4 boneless duck breast halves
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth, plus enough water to equal 2 cups
1 cup full bodied red wine such as Cabernet
2 large onions, cut into medium dice
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
6 cans white beans (16 oz each)  (9 cups)
3 cups fresh bread crumbs
3 T butter, melted
1/3 cup fresh minced parsley

Adjust oven rack to middle position  and heat oven to 450 degrees.

Place lamb cubes in bowl, drizzle with 2 T oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Place Italian sausages, 1 cup water, and remaining 1 T oil in a large roasting pan set over two burners.  Cover with heavy duty foil and turn heat to medium-high.  Cook until sausages lose their raw color, about 5 minutes.  Remove foil (reserve) and continue to cook until water evaporates.  Add smoked sausages and cook, turning frequently until all sausages are browned, 5-8 minutes longer.  Transfer to a plate.  When cool enough to handle, cut Italian sausages into bite-size chunks.  Halve smoked sausages lengthwise. Set aside.

Generously sprinkle duck breasts with salt and pepper. Reduce heat under raosting pan and add duck breasts, skin sides down. Cook until fat has rendered and skin is mahogany brown, 10-12 minutes.

Turn duck breasts over and continue to cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.  Remove duck from pan.  Drain fat from pan and reserve.  Slice each breast crosswise into 4 pieces.

Return roasting pan to medium-high heat. Add lamb cubes and cook, turning once, until a brown crust forms on two dies, 8-10 minutes.  Transfer lamb to a large ovenproof pot: set roasting pan aside.  Add broth mixture and wine to lamb and cover with reserved foil, pressing down so that it almost touches meat, then sealing foil around top of pot, leaving a small opening for steam to escape.  Bring to a simmer and simmer for a few minutes to burn off alcohol.

Seal foil completely, then cover pot with lid.  Bake, without checking pot, for 1 hour and 15 minutes: meat will be very tender.

Meanwhile, reheat roasting pan over medium-high heat.  Add enough reserved duck fat or olive oil to pan to equal 2 tablespoons.  Add onions and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add prosciutto and thyme and saute to blend flavors, 1 to 2 minutes longer.  Add tomatoes and beans and simmer to blend flavors about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Transfer cooked lamb and broth to roasting pan.  Add duck, sausages, and enough water to make a soupy, moist casserole.  You can let the cassoulet mixture stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

An hour before serving adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degree.  Bring cassoulet to a simmer.

Mix bread crumbs, melted butter, and parsley and sprinkle over cassoulet.  Bake until crumbs are golden and stew is bubbly, about  45 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

My comments:  I doubled the recipe for the party.  I used half lamb and half pork shoulder---primarily because lamb is more expensive.  I also edged up the amounts of some of the sausage and prosciutto....basically because I planned to use a bit more beans.  I also used a mixture of mild and hot Italian sausage.  The first time I made this I used canned beans, when I made it for the party I used 2 lbs of dried beans....I always liked cooked dried beans but canned beans really are fine as well.   I made bread crumbs out of a nice baguette and then when I was short, a bit of the boys' sandwich bread.  It ended up being a nice combination.  I also was too tired to go get fresh parsley from the garden so I threw in a bit more dried thyme and garlic which seemed like a nice fragrant addition.... All in all, it's one of those recipes that you can add or subtract to.....certainly a foolproof party dish......

Now....the question is......what do I make for the David Olney party in February?????  Suggestions appreciated.....