Recipe: Cassoulet-style Italian sausages and white beans

CASSOULET-STYLE ITALIAN SAUSAGES AND WHITE BEANS

Serves 8.

Note: Adapted from Pam Anderson's "Perfect One-Dish Dinners." This is not a real cassoulet, but could help home chefs decide if they want to go "the full cassy."

• 21/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage links

• 3 pints cherry tomatoes

• 1 medium-large onion, cut in 11/2-in. chunks

• 4 large garlic cloves, sliced

• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 11/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

• 2 tsp. dried thyme

• 3 bay leaves

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 3 cans (about 16 oz. each) white beans, undrained

Directions

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine all ingredients except the beans in a large, heavy roasting pan. Set pan in oven and roast until sausages are brown and tomatoes have reduced to a thick sauce, about 45 minutes.

Remove from oven, stir in beans and roast until mixture has heated through, at least 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories600Fat34 gSodium1,646 mg

Carbohydrates42 gSaturated fat11 gCalcium153 mg

Protein33 gCholesterol59 mgDietary fiber9 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 bread/starch, 31/2 medium-fat meat, 31/2 fat.

CASSOULET

Serves 8.

Note: Adapted from "The Dean and DeLuca Cookbook." Call ahead to your butcher to arrange for lamb bones, sausages and fats.

• 1 lb dry white beans (Great Northern work fine)

• 1/2 c. tomato paste

• 4 lb. lamb bones

• 2 quarts chicken stock, plus more if needed

• 2 bouquet garni (parsley stems, bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme sprigs wrapped in cheesecloth)

• 11/2 c. dry white wine or vermouth

• 1 lb. boneless lamb, cut from the leg into 1-in. cubes

• 1 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1-in. cubes

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 c. flour for dusting

• 3 tbsp. bacon fat or lard (traditionally goose, duck or chicken fat is used), divided

• 1 duck breast

•1/2 lb. onion, chopped

• 12 garlic cloves, smashed, plus 1/4 c. finely minced garlic, divided

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 1 (28-oz.) can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

• 1/4 lb. thickly sliced bacon

• 2 lb. garlic sausage or kielbasa

• 2 tbsp. brandy (Armagnac is a good choice)

• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

Day 1 or 2: Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover, or simmer 10 minutes and let stand.

Day 2 or 3: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tomato paste over the lamb bones and bake, turning frequently, for 45 minutes.

Place lamb bones in a large stockpot and cover with chicken stock. Add 1 bouquet garni. Add the wine to the roasting pan and deglaze over high heat until reduced to about 2/3 cup. Add the wine deglaze to the stockpot. Simmer stock gently for 11/2 hours, then pour through colander into a large Dutch oven, discarding bouquet garni and bones but reserving liquid.

Generously season the lamb and pork cubes with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour. Heat 1 tablespoon bacon fat in a large sauté pan over moderately high heat. Making sure that the pan is not too crowded, quickly sear the meat in batches until brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Sear the duck breast on both sides and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add all meat to the Dutch oven with the reserved liquid.

In the same sauté pan, cook the onions, smashed garlic cloves and carrots, adding more fat as needed, over medium high heat for 10 minutes. Add vegetables to the Dutch oven with the remaining bouquet garni and the canned tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes.

Drain the beans and add; mix well. Simmer over very low heat until meats are tender, about 11/2 hours (make sure it never boils, or the meat will become tough). When meats are tender, strain broth from the Dutch oven and refrigerate overnight. Remove grease that rises to surface on next day.

Day 2 or 3: Let the mixture come to room temp. Cut the bacon slices into 1/2-inch squares and sauté until crisp; add to Dutch oven. Sauté garlic sausages, cut into 1-inch pieces and add them to Dutch oven, along with enough broth to just cover the beans and meat. Simmer very gently, for 1 hour, or until beans are tender and flavors are combined. Every few minutes, distribute a little of the finely minced garlic through the stew. Add additional chicken stock or water as needed; the sauce around the beans and meat should be ample and medium-thick, neither pasty nor soupy.

Add brandy, season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil on top of the stove. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 more minutes (add more liquid if necessary to make a medium-rich sauce). Divide among plates, sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread.