Wolfert

The cooking of beans in a clay pot produces a creamier texture due to the slow even cooking. You don't have to cook beans in a large amount of water. In fact, it's actually better if you use less. As Harold McGee writes in his On Food and Cooking, Science and Lore of the Kitchen: "And it turns out, contrary to what we would expect, that seeds will actually absorb more water in a smaller volume of water: the less cooking water, the fewer carbohydrates are leached out, and the carbohydrates will take up about 10 times their own weight in water. This means, then, that seeds will seem softer in a given time if cooked in a minimal amount of liquid. So give the seeds enough water both to soak up and to cook in (many a pan bottom has been charred because the cook forgot that beans imbibe), but don't drown them."

Hristos se rodi My grandfather on my father's side was from Serbia. He used to call me Pavlina.

Was this conversation at the Oldways conference in London?

for cassoulet, you can use confit right away...

fifi: my son was referring to jarred or preserved confit.

my son told me "wine, confit and women are better with age." For cassoulet, I think it will be ok to use a young confit.

Sorry, I still haven't learned to " do quotes" properly.. John: You are right. Most cooks I know in southwest France use the 'up to seven stirs' method before adding the final breadcrumbs (if they bother to use breadcrumbs at all). The idea of the glazed beans, in an uncovered pot, stirred up and through the dish provides an added flavor. This is why the wider the pot at the top is desirable. You get more glaze for your work. the adding of fat, parsley and garlic is another last minute addition. It is, I think, called a hachis. Not only is it added to cassoulet but a simple tangle of grilled asparagus and mushrooms.

fifi: you are right, I think. It is the shape that is important. The evaporation takes place at the top of the dish slowly, not through the pores of the clay. In fact, a classic cassoule is glazed on the inside and unglazed on the outside. Clay is considered preferable to cast iron because it keeps a slower and lower heat for a longer time. John: thanks for the quotation. And, yes, I have the Sales book and it is one of the best of its kind . Unfortunately, it only deals with romertopf type pots.

Did you use small high ramekins or flat porcelain dishes? It could make a difference during 'cool down.'

A romertopf is a porous and unglazed red clay pot that is wonderful for roasting and stewing. You need to soak it before each use but only for 15 minutes or so while you are preparing your vegetables or meat or poultry. The method which is said to be thousands of years old steams food. This preserves flavor, nutrients, and tenderness. It is fabulous for many dishes, but I wouldn't use if for making cassoulet. I wish I knew who said the "idea of the form precedes the form." Does anyone know?

no, I put it into a slow simmered artichoke bottom and top it with a caper tarragon mayonnaise. Also, I add an egg to each portion of a Tunisian soup along with chickpeas, olives, cumin and bread. the flower covering is something Arzak did. I think there is a thread on that. Sounds like your meal is going well.

I've been told there is jambon de bayonne in America available through D'artagnan. Though I am not sure if it is made in Bayonne, New Jersey or Bayonne France. The one I bought at D'artagnan had a unique delicate flavor. You could substitute Jamon Serrano which has a firmer texture and more intense flavor.

whew is right!!! I'm exhausted just reading what you had to say. Thank you for the time and you can thank me for my patience. And, yes, I'm that Wolfert .

My experience with duck fat is the following: If it is very clear you can strain it and save it for cooking or making confit; if it is brown, I dump it...

I went to ebay and saw some "mason cash" bowls for auction ...unfortunately the 18 inch one that I have isn't up for auction, but you can do a search through the internet and buy a new one. These bowls will work perfectly and they are cheap... you might find an unglazed (on the outside preferably and shallow and wide) flower pot , or just borrow one until you find yourself . good luck and happy christmas Paula

it's ok to use the le creuset for the initial cooking but when you want to bake off the cassoulet a flaring bowl will give you faster evaporation and thus teh crumbs will brown faster as well. do you have an old fashioned earthen bowl your mother used to mix bread dough? Something like that will work. Just don't put it into a very hot oven. Slowly heat the bowl with its contents in a medium low oven and then go to the desired heat.. also, when you take it out be sure to put it on a towel or wooden board to avoid thermal shock.. happy xmas Paula

So pleased you liked the cassoulet. I think I know why you had too much liquid. Did I see a le crueset pot in the corner of one of the photos? Next time try baking the cassoulet in a traditional style, deep flared earthen or stoneware bowl. A certain amount of evaporation provides the perfect texture. Try using a large earthenware mixing bowl to bake the cassoulet.

Jeffrey: I like your answer. But I'm wondering if our pursuit of "the best" (and in my recipe research, I am very much such a pursuer) can be harmful in that it can drive out the merely "good", at least in the public mind. For example, I love the notion of a "good" neighborhood bistro -- not the "best" bistro in town, but a good one where the welcome is warm, the food is good and there's never a problem getting a reservation. I also love the notion of a "good" recipe for beef cooked in wine -- not the very "best" recipe, such as the complex one in my "World Of Food" that requires a couple of hard-to-find Spanish wines, but just a good solid recipe that always works and is easy to execute. As Voltaire put it: "The enemy of the good is the best." Any thoughts?

I answered your query about the grated onion. i'm wondering what you think about it.