Rustic Meat And Bean Pot Food

SPICY SAUSAGE, CHICKEN AND BEAN POT

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil. Crumble the Italian sausage into large pieces, add to Dutch oven and begin to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the andouille and crisp at edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove browned sausages to a paper towel lined plate and add chicken, season with salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken a couple of minutes on each side then add veggies and bay leaf, add more salt and pepper and cook 7 to 8 minutes more to soften veggies. Add sausages back to the pan along with the beans and sage. Deglaze with wine and stir in the stock.
• Turn broiler on and set rack in the middle of the oven.
• Coarsely chop the bread in food processor into large crumbs, remove blade and toss with melted butter (it melts in 15 seconds in microwave) and the parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover the sausage and chicken with bread and set in oven to brown 2 to 3 minutes. Serve directly from the pot. Keep an eye out for that bay leaf and sprigs!

RUSTIC MEAT AND BEAN POT

Steps:

• Preheat broiler to high. Place sausages on a broiler pan and cook 6 inches from heat source 15 minutes turning once.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn around the pan, and chopped bacon. Cook bacon 1 minute, then add chicken and pork and brown cubes on all sides, 3 minutes. Season meats with thyme, salt, and pepper, and add garlic, vegetables, and bay leaf to the pot. Cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally, then deglaze pan with the wine.
• Slice sausages on an angle and add pieces to the pot on the stove. Stir in tomatoes and beans and heat them through. Adjust seasonings and remove pan from heat.
• Broil the split baguette until golden. Rub bread with cracked garlic and drizzle with oil. Coarsely chop bread and scatter the chunks around the edge of the pan. Serve the cassoulet directly from the hot pot at the table.
• Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes, overlapping

RUSTIC WHITE BEAN & THYME POT PIES

Steps:

• To a medium saucepan, add the olive oil or vegan butter. Warm over low heat. Add the onion and carrots and saute just until the onions are beginning to become translucent, 5-6 minutes.
• Add flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir constantly for three minutes, adding the garlic during the last minute.
• Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, stirring constantly. Add the beans, potatoes and thyme sprigs. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just about fork tender, about 5 minutes. Remove thyme stems. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired, to taste.
• If adding chicken or turkey to any of the pot pies, add 1/4 cup to each ramekin.
• Divide bean filling between the four or five ramekins, carefully stirring those that have meat with a small spoon to evenly distribute.
• Cut circles of crust about 1" larger than the circumference of the ramekins. To keep track of the meat pot pies vs. the veggie pot pies, I like to use letter cookie cutters - "VEG" for veggie and, in the case of the batch I made for the blog, "CHX" for chicken. A simple V or C will work or any old shape to help you tell them apart will do! Just be sure you at least slit the top to allow for steam to escape.
• Bake 375 degrees for about 35 minutes, until the pie crust is golden brown and the filling is nice and bubbly.
• Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.