Lima Bean Cassoulet Food

TRADITIONAL FRENCH CASSOULET RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cover beans with 3 quarts water and add salt. Stir to combine and let sit at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse beans and set aside.
• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place stock in a large liquid measuring cup and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Set aside. Heat duck fat (if using) in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add salt pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl, leaving rendered fat in Dutch oven, and set aside. (If not using duck fat, cook pork with no additional fat.)
• Season chicken pieces with pepper (do not add salt) and place skin side down in now-empty pan. Cook without moving until well-browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip chicken pieces and continue cooking until lightly browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl with salt pork.
• Add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well-browned on both sides. Transfer to bowl with salt pork and chicken. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot.
• Add onions to pot and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until onions are translucent but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add drained beans, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, cloves, and stock/gelatin mixture. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce to low, cover Dutch oven, and cook until beans are almost tender but retain a slight bite, about 45 minutes.
• Using tongs, remove carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaves, and cloves and discard. Add meats to pot and stir to incorporate, making sure that the chicken pieces end up on top of the beans with the skin facing upwards. Beans should be almost completely submerged. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, until a thin crust forms on top, about 2 hours, adding more water by pouring it carefully down the side of the pot, as necessary, to keep beans mostly covered.
• Break crust with a spoon and shake pot gently to redistribute. Return to oven and continue cooking, stopping to break and shake the crust every 30 minutes until you reach the 4 1/2 hour mark. Return to oven and continue cooking undisturbed until the crust is deep brown and thick, about 5 to 6 hours total. Serve immediately.

LIMA BEAN CASSOULET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Saute garlic in hot oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, for 1 minute.
• Add in onion and carrots; stir/saute 3-4 minutes or until tender.
• Add in ham; cook 3 minutes; stir in beans, peas, and next 2 ingredients; bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make Cornmeal Crust Batter: combine all ingredients in a bowl.
• Remove bean/ham mixture from heat; pour batter over bean/ham mixture.
• Bake in oven for 28-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

CONTEMPORARY CASSOULET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cook bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to bowl. Add sausages to drippings in pot; sauté until brown, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer to bowl with bacon. Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from pot. Add onions and garlic to pot and sauté until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Add brandy and simmer until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in canned beans, tomatoes with juices, lima beans, 1 cup broth, tomato paste, and allspice. Return sausages and bacon to pot. Season cassoulet with salt and pepper. Bring to boil.
• Cover pot and transfer to preheated oven; bake 30 minutes. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Uncover; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered until cold; cover and keep refrigerated. Before continuing, cover and rewarm in 350°F oven 40 minutes, adding more broth if dry.)
• Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add breadcrumbs and sauté until light golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over warm cassoulet. Bake until breadcrumb topping is deep golden, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle cassoulet with parsley and serve.

OLD-FASHIONED SMOKED SAUSAGE AND BEAN CASSOULET

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat oil in a heavy oven-proof pot over medium heat.
• Add in sausage slices and saute until browned (about 10-15 minutes) remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
• Add in more oil of needed and add in the leeks; saute for about 8 minutes or until softened.
• Add in chopped apple, rosemary and sage; mix to combine.
• Add in the brandy and simmer until ALMOST evapoarted (about 4-5 minutes).
• Mix in canned tomatoes with juice, canned beans with 1/2 cup reserved bean juice, the lima beans, 1 cup broth and tomato paste.
• Add in sausages and season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil, cover pot and transfer to a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes (watch to see if the mixture is dry, if so add in more broth).
• Remove pot from the oven and prepare the following.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• Add in bread cubes; saute until golden brown, stirring often (about 25 minutes).
• Combine the fresh chopped tomatoes and parsley in a large bowl; mix in the browned bread cubes.
• Season with salt and pepper and spoon on top of the warm cassoulet.
• Return to oven and bake uncovered 15 minutes longer.