Bistro Jeanty Cassoulet


This recipe is from the famous Bistro Jeanty restaurant in Yountville, California, and is served in individual cassoles from Crockett Pottery.

Prep Time: 2 hour
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 5 hours

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 Quart great northern white beans or lingot blanc beans

  • 3 Tablespoon rendered duck fat

  • 4 sliced 1/8 inch thick applewood smoked bacon cut into lardons

  • 1 bunch fresh thyme tied into bundles

  • 4 Tablespoon chopped garlic

  • 2 Roma tomatoes 1/2 inch dice

  • 1-1/2 Quarts brown chicken stock

  • 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 8 grilled sweet fennel sausages

  • 8 legs duck confit

  • herbed garlic breadcrumbs

  • 3 yellow onions 1/4 inch dice

Instructions:

Soak the beans overnight. Drain water and add fresh water, 3 times the volume of the beans. Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until just before beans are tender. Remove from heat, strain, and discard liquid.

While the beans are cooking, place the duck fat, bacon, thyme bundles and onions (in that order) in a large roasting pan or braiser and place over medium-high heat. This will allow the duck fat to help render out the bacon and add flavor to the onions. Do not disturb until the bacon starts to render.

Mix together well and season with salt and pepper. When onions are translucent stir in 2 tbsp. garlic and tomato dice. Cook for 5-10 minutes then double check seasoning. Add cooked beans and pour enough brown chicken stock to just cover. Bring beans back to a soft boil and place in a 350* oven. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Remove beans from oven, adjust seasoning and allow to cool. May be refrigerated if assembling cassoulet the next day.

Assemble the cassoulet: Lay out your 8 individual cassoles. Layer in each in this order: remaining 2 tbsp. fresh chopped garlic, thyme sprigs, 1'2 slice bacon in each bowl, 1 sausage each bowl, 1 duck leg for each bowl. Fill remaining space with bean mixture, making sure the top is flat and not mounded. Drizzle the cassoulet with additional brown stock.

Bake in a preheated 300' oven for 30-35 minutes. Top with herbed-garlic breadcrumbs, turn oven up to 425* and brown in oven for 5-10 more minutes.

Remove when top is brown and crusty. Enjoy with green salad and red wine.