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February 25, 2010

mom’s-quick-cassoulet
Mom’s Quick Cassoulet
Served with a green salad
Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

    Shopping List

  • 1 bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
  • 1 bunch sage
  • 1 bunch thyme
  • 4 medium yellow onions
  • 1 head winter lettuce (escarole, curly endive)
  • 1 shallot
  • Two 15 oz. cans white beans (such as cannellini)
  • 1-1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
  • 1-1/2 lbs. ground pork
  • 1-1/2 cups Vermouth, or Sauvignon Blanc
  • 1 loaf crusty bread

    Pantry Items

  • Bay leaves
  • Black pepper
  • Dijon mustard
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Sea salt
  • Unsalted butter

    Suggestions

  • Wine:  Sauvignon Blanc
  • Dessert:  Fresh fruit and macaroons or other cookies.
  • You’ll have some leftover cassoulet for lunch.

    Game Plan:

  • When you walk in the door
    • Don’t refrigerate the pork
    • Preheat the oven to 400F
    • Get out Pantry Items
    • Get out Tools
    • Assemble the ingredients
    • Open the wine and pour yourself a glass
  • Prep
    • Rinse and pat the parsley.  Pluck 1 cup leaves.
    • Pluck 6 good-sized sage leaves.
    • Strip 2 tsps. leaves from the thyme sprigs.
    • Peel and dice the onion.
    • Peel and mince the garlic.
    • Peel and thinly slice the shallot.
    • Discard any damaged lettuce leaves.  Separate the rest of the leaves from the head, rinse and spin them dry then tear into large bite-size pieces.
    • Put the pork in a good-sized mixing bowl.
    • Measure 2 tbsps. butter.
    • Open the beans, turn them into the strainer, set in the sink and rinse them.
  • Start Cooking
    • Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in the large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat with the onions.  Stir.  When the onions start to sizzle, stir, lower the heat to medium, and cook until they soften, 7 minutes.
    • Mince the sage leaves and add to the pork, along with the thyme leaves.  Sprinkle with a good amount of salt and pepper and mix everything together with your hands or a spoon.
    • Add the garlic to the onions, stir, season with some salt and pepper and cook for 4 more minutes, stirring once in a while.
    • Add the pork to the onions, breaking it up into small pieces and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • While the pork is cooking, put the 2 tbsps. butter in the nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat.  When it’s foaming, add the bread crumbs and stir until they’re golden 1-2 minutes.  Remove from the heat.
    • Mince the parsley and mix it into the breadcrumbs.
    • When the pork has cooked for 8 minutes, remove the pan from the heat.  Carefully stir the beans into the pan,
    • Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
    • Tuck 2 bay leaves into the bean mixture.  Pour in the Vermouth, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and put in the oven to bake for 20-30 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are crisp and everything is cooked.
    • While the cassoulet is baking, make the salad dressing.  Put the shallot in a large bowl with 1 tbsp. vinegar and 1 tsp. mustard.  Add a big pinch of salt, then whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil.  Taste for seasoning.
    • Set the table, slice the bread and take it to the table.
    • Check the cassoulet – if it’s nice and crisp on top, it’s cooked!
    • Quickly whisk the vinaigrette, add the lettuce and toss, toss, toss.  Take the salad and the cassoulet to the table.  Don’t forget a hot pad, and the wine!
  • Wow that was fast, let’s eat!

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