Simplified Cassoulet
"One big centerpiece dish that is perfect for a fall or winter buffet is cassoulet, a hearty French stew of beans, lamb or pork, sausages and roast duck breast (rather than the traditional labor-intensive duck confit). You can even substitute boneless chicken thighs or pre-roasted duck (check Asian markets or restaurants and food warehouses, and remove the skin and bones). All the meats are in bite-sized chunks--ideal when you're balancing a plate on your lap. On the side, all this substantial dish needs is a green salad and bread. While classic cassoulet is an investment of two to three days of labor, my version offers wonderful variety without the extreme time commitment. The recipe may look long, but I've made it--from start to finish, and in double this quantity--the very afternoon "
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
Counts 16 of 18 ingredients — the other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and contribute nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume — 16 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Duck | 100g cooked with skin | 337 |
| Sausage | 100g cooked | 301 |
| Lamb | 100g cooked | 294 |
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Bread | 1 slice (30g) white | 79 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Wine | 2 tbsp cooking wine (30ml) | 25 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Thyme | 1 tsp dried (1.4g) | 4 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Bean | not in our table | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder roast, cut into 11/2-inch cubes (or a combination of lamb and boneless pork shoulder roast)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound mild Italian sausages
- 1 cup water for sausages
- 1/2 pound kielbasa, cut into 6 pieces
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless duck breast halves
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup full-bodied dry red wine
- reserved duck fat
- 2 large onions, cut into medium dice
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 6 (16 ounce) cans white beans, drained
- 3 cups fresh bread crumbs (process sliced bread in a food processor or blender)
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley