Kind of Like Cassoulet

A few months ago, my husband and I had a nice dinner at a restaurant in our neighborhood, Betty. I had the Three Pork Cassoulet and fell in love. The flavors were so rich and developed; it was like nothing I'd ever tasted before. Definitely a great Winter/Fall dish to warm you up.

After we left, I kept thinking of that dish in the back of my mind, and have tried to make something similar at home a few times. Here is my Kind of Like Cassoulet recipe. The best thing about it is that you can substitute based on your preferences and/or what you have in the kitchen.




Kind of Like Cassoulet
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4 dinner sausages (pork, chicken, brats, etc.)
4 slices of bacon (I've also used a leftover ham hock, or even just ham cut in cubes)
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced (I used 1.5 shallots since I didn't have onions - shocker!)
2 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
Salt & pepper to taste (I prefer SALT in this dish for some extra flavor boost)
Rosemary, fresh or dried (It also tastes great with sage instead or in addition to rosemary, but alas I didn't have any in my spice cabinet)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans white beans
1 cup chicken stock (you may not need it all)

Optional: Kale, other veggies, or other meats

not pictured - chicken thighs and sausages

Start by searing the chicken in the oil in a heavy bottom pan on med-high heat. Season with salt & pepper and place skin-side down in hot oil. Flip once the pieces are nice and browned, about 6 minutes. Once second side is browned as well, remove from pan and set aside. Brown up any other meats you will be using in the same manner. Don't worry about cooking them all the way through for this step, as the meat(s) will simmer in the pot later.

shallots, garlic, and all those brown bits of flavor

In the same pot, brown the onions until translucent, then add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes until very fragrant. Next add the tomato paste and cook it in the onion/garlic mixture to release and deepen the tomato flavor. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes, both cans of beans (rinsed if you prefer), the spices, and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

don't forget your bayleaf

Add the meat back to the pot, and add chicken broth to make sure the liquid covers the meat. Reduce to low, cover, and simmer for about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

everyone's in the pot, getting cozy

Depending on what you've used, you may need to add more liquid or reduce it down to get a thicker "sauce" in the pot. After everything has simmered together and the meats are fully cooked, I took the lid off, brought it back to a boil and let it reduce for about 15 minutes. I like it to be more like a hearty stew than a soup. Check the seasoning level and adjust as necessary. Oh, and don't forget to take out the bay leaf before serving.

Day 2: something delicious

The house smelled divine as everything was cooking, and it truly is a forgiving recipe. The most important steps are the first ones, as that is where you really develop the flavors (browning the meats, sweating the onions, and cooking the tomato paste in with it all). Also, the longer it simmers, the better it gets -- if you have any leftovers, they are delicious as well.

Serves 4-5

Add a nice salad or another simple veggie, and you have a delicious hearty meal.