INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds white beans, washed and drained (Tarbais beans, Great 

Northern beans, or white kidney beans)

1 small bunch parsley

5 sprigs of thyme (or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme)

10 cloves garlic, crushed

10 peppercorns, plus ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 onion, peeled and studded with 4 cloves

2 onions chopped

3 carrots, cut into chunks

½ pound ventreche (or pancetta) quartered

½ cup duck fat, melted (or canola oil)

Confit of 6 duck legs 

Salt

2 pounds boned pork shoulder, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes

2 pounds boned lamb shoulder, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes

2 pounds garlic pork sausage, cut into 1 ½ inch slices

1 ½ cups dry white wine

2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes, drained

2 ½ quarts chicken stock

1 ½ cups coarse bread crumbs

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the beans in a large pot.  

Wrap 8 sprigs parsley, the thyme, crushed garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves in cheese cloth (you have just made a “bouquet garni”).   

Add the bouquet garni, the onion studded with cloves, the carrots, and the ventreche to the pot.  

Add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch.  

Cover, bring to boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer until the beans are just tender (about 1 ½ hours).  

Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid and the ventreche.  Discard the onion, carrots, and bouquet garni.

While the beans are simmering, heat ¼ cup of duck fat in a large skillet over high heat.  

Cook the pork until browned, about 4 minutes on each side, then transfer to a platter.  Repeat with the lamb and sausage.  

Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the pan.  

Add the chopped onions and sauté over medium heat until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).  

Add the minced garlic and wine. 

 Increase the heat, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to loosen the caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan.  

Add the tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes.  

Cut the reserved ventreche into ½ inch cubes.  Stir in the ventreche and beans.

Preheat over to 325.  

 Layer a large ( 8 quart or more) casserole, or two medium casseroles, with the duck confit, then a third of the beans, then the pork and lamb, then another third of the beans, then the sausage and finally the remaining beans.  

Add the reserved bean cooking liquid and as much chicken stock as needed to cover the layers completely.   

Cover the casserole with a lid, and simmer in the oven for 2 hours.

Chop remaining parsley, combine with bread crumbs, and sprinkle on top of the cooked cassoulet.  

Drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup of melted duck fat.   

Place the cassoulet, uncovered, under a broiler (as far from the heat as possible) -- or increase the oven temperature to 500 -- and cook until the top is browned and crusty (about 10 minutes).