Conference turris::cooks

    Bonjour de France!
    
    
    Your recipe sounds not too bad...
    
    The "Cassoulet" is a recipe from Toulouse in the south west of France.
    It is a very "rich" dish, so don't eat it during summer time.
    
    As it is from this part of France, you have to drink a Bordeaux
    (red wine) or a Cahors (also red).
    
    Bon appetit!
    Patricia
    
    

    Hello chefs!
    The cassoulet recipe is very similar to the one I use,I have found that
    I get a fantastic result if I use a smoked sausage,Zwiecki(sp?) or kabanos
    instead.Also one recipe I found added gascony butter at the end,it really
    livens it up! Gascony butter is butter,garlic,grey poupon mustard and
    fresh parsley,and is added at serving time. 
    My french chef friend assures me however that you cannot make cassoulet
    without saucisson fraiche but as its not available in England I think
    we can cheat a bit when we make it.Keep the cassoulet recipes coming
    please,I love it! 
    Geoff

    Hello and goodbye soon,
    As a going away recipe here's my smoked sausage and duck 
    quick and easy cassoulet.This serves four.
    
    Ingredients:
    2 tins cannellini (white haricot) beans or 1 lb dried,then pre-soaked 
    beans.Tins are easier.Tesco,Sainsbury,Gateway etc.
    1/2 lb zwieska (wieska)sp? smoked polish sausage,sliced.
    1/2 lb kabanos smoked polish sausage,sliced.
    4 to 5 lb duck.
    1 bouquet garni.
    2 large carrots finely sliced.
    1 large onion chopped.
    2 sticks celery sliced.
    1/2 pint cider.
    3 cloves garlic sliced.
    1 1/2 knorr chicken stock.
    gascony butter (see later)
    salt and pepper
    
    Roast the duck slowly until cooked.While its cooking spoon out some of
    the fat and put in a pan.Cook off the vegetables and garlic in the duck 
    fat slowly until they begin to soften.Add the cider,bouquet garni and
    stock cubes,bring to boil and simmer adding water as required until the
    vegies are mushed.It takes ages,keep stirring.
    The sauce should be a nice smooth consistency.
    Add the sausage and simmer for 1/2 hour,add the beans and simmer for a
    further 1/2 hour.
    Quarter the duck and add to the pan,you can also add any juices to the
    pan,and leave overnight.
    The next day,heat the cassoulet through gently and if necessary add
    water when hot to get to the required consistency which should be like 
    a thick broth,stir very gently so as not to break up the beans.
    Add the gascony butter at the last moment and immediately serve with 
    french stick crisped in the oven.
    
    The gascony butter is 4 oz butter, a teaspoonful of grey poupon ,a 
    crushed garlic clove and a chopped sprig of fresh parsley.Melt the 
    butter in a small pan and add the other ingredients.Do not fry or allow 
    to get too hot! Finally ENJOY!
    
    Another use of any duck fat left over is to make your own pate,
    Its really easy.Chop a large onion and fry off gently in a pan in the
    duck fat,add 1/2 lb chicken livers and cook off.Remove the ingredients
    from the pan when cooked and add a generous measure of brandy.Cook off
    the alcohol and add fresh Marjoram or Thyme,replace the onions and
    livers and warm through.Salt and pepper to taste and then add 2 to 3 oz
    of butter.Melt it through.Blend the whole lot until smooth and put in 
    pate or serving pots.Allow to cool and garnish with fresh herbs.
    Served in 2 to 3 days its wonderful.
    
    Hoping you all get everything you want,Bon Chance et A Dieu..
    
    Goodbye all,
    Geoff