Shortcut Pork Cassoulet Food

CAST-IRON SKILLET QUICK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Position a rack in the highest level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, skin side down, and lower the heat to medium. Cook, without turning, until the skin renders its fat, becomes brown and crisp and releases easily from pan, about 12 minutes.
• Move the thighs to the far edge of the pan, shingling them against the side so you can cook the vegetables. Add the carrot, onion, 2 of the garlic cloves and the pancetta and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs.
• Reserve 1/2 cup beans and mash them with a fork to make a chunky paste. Stir the remaining beans, chicken broth, thyme sprigs and bay leaves into the pan and season with pepper. Stir the mashed beans into the pan. Nestle the sausages and the chicken pieces into the bean mixture, placing chicken skin-side up. Bring to a simmer, place the skillet in the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick, bubbling and has formed a skin, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven, and set the broiler to high.
• Grate the remaining 2 garlic cloves into a medium bowl with the remaining breadcrumbs and the chopped thyme. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and stir with a fork to evenly coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the cassoulet and broil until the breadcrumbs are golden and the sauce is bubbly and has formed sort of a crust, rotating the skillet so it evenly browns, about 5 minutes. Serve the cassoulet in the skillet.

SLOW-COOKER PORK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except beans, bacon and cheese in slow cooker; cover with lid. Cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours).
• Add beans to ingredients in slow cooker; cook, covered, on HIGH 15 min. or until heated through. Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp; drain.
• Crumble bacon; sprinkle over ingredients in slow cooker along with the cheese.

PORK CASSOULET

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
• 2. Place the spareribs in a heavy pot with half the onion, half the minced garlic, and the thyme sprigs.
• 3. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
• 4. Remove the ribs; set aside.
• 5. In the same pot, over medium heat, brown the bacon.
• 6. Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat and add the celery, carrot, salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and the remaining onion and garlic (minced and whole) and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
• 7. Add the broth, wine, tomatoes, bay leaves, and beans. Bring to a simmer, then add the cooked ribs.
• 8. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the olive oil, bread crumbs, and parsley.
• 9. Sprinkle the bread-crumb mixture over the cassoulet and bake for 1 hour, uncovered, occasionally pressing the bread crumbs into the cassoulet to thicken it.
• 10. Let cool and serve.

BRITISH PORK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Quickly pan-fry the strips of pork belly in the oil, followed by the sausages and back bacon chops, until well browned.
• Mix together the beans, onion, garlic, carrots and tomatoes in a bowl. Starting with a spoonful of the veg, inter-layer the vegetable mix and meats in a deep braising pan (about 3 litres capacity, 7.5cm deep, preferably one that will go on top of the stove - see Gary's tip, below). Place the bouquet garni in the centre as everything is being stacked.
• Pour just enough chicken stock on top to almost cover, then bring to a simmer on top of the stove (see Gary's tip). Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and braise in the oven for about 1hr 20- 1hr 30 mins, until the meats are all tender and the top is golden brown. If the stock reduces while braising, simply pour a little more on top to moisten. Remove from the oven and allow to settle for 5 mins before serving. (Remember to take out the bouquet garni.)

CHEF JOHN'S QUICK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Add bacon to a large, cold oven-ready skillet. Place over medium heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, until almost crisp. Transfer to a bowl, reserving the grease in the pan.
• Stir in sausage slices; cook 3-4 minutes. Add chicken thigh pieces; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until browned. Remove meat to the plate with bacon. Discard all the oil, but don't wipe out the pan.
• Add chopped onion and turn the heat to medium-low; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add 1 cup of chicken stock.
• Mash about 1/4 of the beans in a small bowl, stir all the beans into the pan.
• Stir in cayenne, rosemary and thyme. Add reserved meat back to the pan. Stir in remaining cup of stock or more if needed to cover. Return to simmer.
• Mix bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and melted butter together in a small bowl.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 7 inches from the heat source.
• Sprinkle the cassoulet with half the bread crumb mixture. Place under the broiler and cook about 5 minutes, until browned.
• Remove the pan and push bread crumbs down into the cassoulet. Top with remaining bread crumb mixture. Return to oven and continue broiling 5 more minutes, until browned.
• Turn off the broiler and leave in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy.

QUICK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic; cook and stir for a few minutes, until the onion is transparent. Add the sausage to the skillet, and cook for a few more minutes to brown.
• Pour in the kidney beans, cannellini beans and tomatoes, and season with the bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender.
• Remove bay leaves and discard. Sprinkle parsley over the top, and serve.

QUICK PORK CASSOULET

Steps:

• In a large skillet cook bacon over med.
• heat until almost crisp.
• Stir in meat, onion, garlic and thyme.
• S& P to taste.
• Cook 4 minutes.
• Add liquid and tomatoes and bring to boil.
• Cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until thickened.
• Add beans during the last 5 minutes or until heated through.

PORK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Put a large ovenproof pan (with a tight-fitting lid) on a high heat. Add your fat and diced meat, cook for a few mins to seal the edges, giving it a quick stir to cook evenly. Reduce the heat to low, add the sliced onion, whole garlic cloves, carrot and fennel seeds, and cook gently to soften the veg for a few mins.
• Pour over the red wine vinegar, scraping any meaty bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, tomato purée, and half the rosemary and parsley. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins, then season, cover with a lid and put into the oven for 2 hrs, removing the lid for the final hour of cooking. Stir occasionally and add the beans with 30 mins to go.
• Remove the pan from the oven and heat the grill. Scatter the top with the remaining herbs and breadcrumbs, drizzle a little oil over the top, and return to the oven for 5-10 mins, until the breadcrumbs are golden. Serve with crusty bread and green veg.

CASSOULET

Steps:

• Drain the beans and put into a large heavy casserole, preferably enameled cast iron, with bacon, pork rind, garlic, 1 onion, the carrot, and the bouquet garni. Cover with the 10 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring often, until beans are barely tender, about 1 hour. Drain and return to casserole, discarding onion and bouquet garni.
• Add the remaining onion, the duck legs, demi-glace mixture, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
• Drain the bean mixture in a colander over a bowl and reserve 5 cups of the cooking liquid. Discard bacon and pork rind. Remove the duck legs and cut each in half at the joint. Season beans with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of pepper.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place half the bean mixture in casserole. Add duck legs, duck sausage, and garlic sausage, and cover with remaining beans. Add reserved cooking liquid and drizzle the duck fat over the top. Cover and bake until hot and bubbling, about 2 hours. (Cassoulet may be prepared ahead to this point, then cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature before proceeding).
• Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Uncover cassoulet and bake until top is browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

SHORTCUT PORK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Place beans in large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Cover and soak beans 1 hour. Drain.
• Return beans to pan. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 3 inches. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until beans are almost tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F. Cook bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to large bowl. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Increase heat to medium-high. Working in batches, cook pork shoulder and kielbasa in pot until brown, about 8 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork and kielbasa to bowl with bacon.
• Add onions, celery and carrots to pot. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; sauté 1 minute. Mix in broth, tomatoes with juices and tomato paste; bring to boil. Stir in meats from bowl, then drained beans. Return to boil. Cover pot. Transfer to oven; bake until pork is tender, about 1 hour. Maintain oven temperature.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer 1 cup beans and vegetables from pot to processor and purée. Return purée to pot. Stir in wine. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cool, then cover and refrigerate. Bring cassoulet to simmer before continuing.)
• Smooth top of cassoulet. Mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan and oil in bowl. Sprinkle half of crumb mixture over cassoulet. Arrange bell pepper atop crumb mixture. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake cassoulet uncovered until pork and beans are very tender and topping is golden and crisp, about 45 minutes.
• Garnish cassoulet with parsley.

QUICK PORK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chops; cook 2 min. on each side or until browned on both sides. Move to one side of skillet. Add kielbasa, carrots, onions and garlic; cook 2 min., stirring occasionally.
• Add broth, bay leaf and thyme; stir. Cover skillet with lid. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 25 min. or until chops are cooked through. Stir in beans.
• Mix flour and water. Add to ingredients in skillet; mix well. Cook 5 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove and discard bay leaf before serving.

SIMPLIFIED CASSOULET WITH PORK AND KIELBASA

Steps:

• Brining the Chicken: In gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag, dissolve salt and sugar in 1 quart cold water. Add chicken, pressing out as much air as possible; seal and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine, rinse thoroughly under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preparing the Topping: While chicken is brining, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix bread crumbs and butter in small baking dish. Bake, tossing occasionally, until light golden brown and crisp, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature; set aside.
• Bring the beans, whole onion, garlic head, salt, pepper and 8 cups water to a boil in a stockpot or Dutch oven over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the beans are almost fully tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain the beans and discard the onion and garlic.
• While the beans are cooking, fry the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until just beginning to crisp and most of the fat has rendered, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, add half of the bacon to the pot with the beans; transfer the remaining bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
• Increase the heat to medium-high; when the bacon fat is shimmering, add half of the chicken thighs, fleshy-side down; cook until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on second side, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate; repeat with remaining thighs and set aside.
• Drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot. Return pot to medium heat; add pork pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add minced garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, and pepper to taste; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in chicken broth and wine, scraping up browned bits off bottom of pot with wooden spoon. Submerge the chicken in the pot, adding any accumulated juices. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer about 40 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to simmer until the chicken and pork are fully tender, 20 to 30 minutes more.
• Gently stir the kielbasa, drained beans and reserved bacon into the pot with the chicken and pork; remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the croutons evenly over the surface and bake at 425, uncovered, until the flavors have melded and the croutons are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.