Cassoulet time!

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
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So, Frank & Co. (or anyone else who’s made the dish before),

Racking my brain here for appetizer ideas to serve ahead of the actual cassoulet when I make it. Trying to conjure up with things that are “light & somewhat easy”. Thoughts?

Pictured truffle/parmesan popcorn, plate of olives & cornichons & a baguette with some truffle butter.

Any other suggestions?

42

Very heavy dish. You are stuck with ideas like a salad, and a fruit dessert like a Tarte Tatin

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/684707

I like the comment “Everything else optional depending on how much of a caloric stupor you want to induce in your guests”!!

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https://wineimport.discoursehosting.net/t/bo-ssam/55291/1

44

So a braised pork shoulder as an app? [smileyvault-ban.gif]

Seriously though, yes I am planning a very simple arugula/mesclun side salad and that’s about it. Was really referring to snacks prior to heading for the table.

45

Roasted! And it has lettuce! And Scallions! You can just have small bites!!!

46

We could probably get away with something like Champagne and gougeres, at the start before people really realize what they are getting into. If you serve appetizers then it’s up to the diners not to eat themselves comatose, or explode like overfed goldfish.

I think our salad will be served before the cassoulet, and will have goat cheese, pears, maybe golden beet slices.

After a light dessert a glass of Armagnac would be spot on.

47

Jorge,

Last Saturday, we did exactly as per your plan. We had pate, rillettes and a couple of cheeses for everybody to gather around with … had a light Loire white with them. I also sliced some really good Portuguese sausages that one of my guests brought from Newark that morning. Then a simple vinaigrette-drizzled arugula salad with pecorino shavings when everybody sat down at the table. Added the pate/cheeses to the table.

There were only 5 of us (3 guests + wife and I) and the 2/3 cassoulet was more than enough for our main course.

As another sidenote, I heated up the cassoulet leftover sitting in the refrigerator over the last 3 days, and had for dinner last night. Just as they said in the recipe, my wife and I agreed that it was much, much better and tastier than during the first day. Just felt that I overcooked the beans a bit as it turned mushy (I like it it slightly on the al dente side).

Ramon

48

Ramon,

Thanks for the update. I plan on starting the cooking on Thursday evening and finishing the “uncovered last 45 minutes” on Saturday. As of now, we are 6 with a possible 2 more so I’ll probably make it all in the 6.5 quart slow cooker ceramic insert.

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My D’Artagnan box just arrived! Wow…impressive amount of ingredients and even more impressive packaging care and resources. [thumbs-up.gif]

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I’m envious. Enjoy making and consuming the cassoulet, Jorge. Looks awesome.

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I tend to bastardize the recipe a bit, fwiw. For example, I think there is no issue in adding some good butter or duck fat soaked breadcrumbs to help make a crust. With all apologies to Bob Fleming

52

OK, I soaked my beans last night and I am getting ready to cook them now.

REMINDER – there is a completely invisible thin film of plastic wrapped tightly around the ventreche. You may not believe it is there but you have to score the side of the cylinder with a knife and then you will be able to remove the plastic. They warn you about this in the online recipe but not in the paper recipe that comes with the kit.

I had carped about the inauthenticity of using tomato paste in cassoulet because it is a precolumbian dish. Now I see from reading the tarbais package that I should also use different beans if I want to eat what the kings and peasants ate 1000 years ago in southwestern France! I am going to relax and follow the recipe and enjoy it, this time.

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Tease.

What does it say?

54

Frank,

Opened my bag last night to see all the ingredients. First off, I didn’t get a paper recipe with my kit (not a biggie, but kinda bummed); second, read the history of Tarbais beans on the back of the package as well (is cassoulet that old a dish by the way?) and found it very interesting…figure that they didn’t really make it to France until well into the 1500s then; third, guessing that due to packagin & shipping, my duck sausages arrived a bit smooshed…think this’ll be an issue?

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Says the beans were brought to Europe from the New World by Columbus.

56

My paper directions, I think, were kind of attached (not stapled but together) with the invoice.

Smooshing will not be a problem, mine looked like one big rectangular mass as well (or two) but these are going to be cut up and boiled to smithereens.

Haricot Tarbais

Why are they so unique?

Christopher Columbus first brought the bean to Europe from the New World. It fluorished at the foothills of the Pyrénées, quickly adapting to the sunny, dry climate and the rocky soil of southwestern France. (etc.)

These same “red label” beans are available under other brand names from Amazon.com at $23 per pound. Just emphasizes what a good deal this kit is. $66 for six duck legs at Wegman’s, and $69 for 3 pounds of beans from Amazon.

If I make this again this season (for different friends) I am thinking of 1/3 Cannelini, 1/3 Great Northern, and 1/3 Tarbais…

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Yep, the earliest cassoulets were likely made with fava beans - which, according to Wikipedia, are native to North Africa and have been part of the Mediterranean diet for nearly 8000 years.

Some cassoulet history: Did You Know: Food History - Cassoulet

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What are the Wine Pairing Options for this Dish?

Thanks!!

I would really like to attempt this for our food and wine group, but I keep getting a scowl look from my wife. Does it have a real gamey profile with Confit Duck and Stuff?

Paul

59

Exactly. And Ariane says the dish is still made with green fava beans in the springtime.

Jorge, the “paper” recipe I got is just a print-out of this

http://www.dartagnan.com/t50/59119/rp64/Duck--Foie-Gras-Recipes/Cassoulet-DArtagnan.html

PS Paul – not very gamey at all, and I think your wife will actually like it. It’s “franks and beans” but with the delicious flavor of duck. I like the idea of Rhône wines with it but some of the Spanish wines I have been buying from WTSO would go very well. For a “fancy” wine, maybe Châteauneuf du Pâpe. But a decent Côtes du Rhône would wash it down just fine.

60

Go with the breadcrumbs; it makes it even more interesting and a tad less greasy. I have used the kit, the weakest part are their confits; I ended up making my own. One thing I did add, originally because I had some left over, is the merguez. d’Artagnan’s version is brilliant, and when I do make cassoulet, I add a pound or so browned and cut up into bite sized pieces. Not traditional but delicious.