All About Cassoulet

[jat]

I looked at several recipes. I made my cassoulet from talking with Gwen

at Les Halles in New York. I was told he makes a great cassoulet. Do you want

his e-mail?

[mikeycook]

In my opinion I don't think smoked bacon is a good idea in cassoulet. Here is why: In the french southwest meats are cured in brine or salt and the taste is mild and the texture is really fatty.

How about pancetta as a substitute if you can't find fatback (instead of bacon)?

The recipe requires both bacon and rind. I thought the Pancetta would make a good sub for the bacon, correct??? as for the rind, boiled salt pork might do the job. I am also planning on visiting local hispanic butcher shops who might sell pork rind since it is used extensivly to make cracklings (Chicharron).

Elie

I usually cut the rind off of the salt pork, then blanch it, and it seems to work fine (or I just cut the rind off fatback).

[fifi]

OK... I finally got Paula's book and am reading the recipe.

Does anyone know where to get a ham hock that isn't smoked?

[Toliver]

OK... I finally got Paula's book and am reading the recipe.

Does anyone know where to get a ham hock that isn't smoked?

You might have better luck at a mexican/latin butcher shop.

[FoodMan]

OK... I finally got Paula's book and am reading the recipe.

Does anyone know where to get a ham hock that isn't smoked?

try some grocery stores that carry Prosciutto Di Parma(sp??) and ask --nicely-- them if u can have the end piece. chances are they'll give it to you for free since they normally throw it away. Stores in Houston where I've seen P Di Parma at are Kroger, Whole Foods and Central Market.

Hope this helps and let us know if you do get it so I can get some myself .

Elie

[Wolfert]

you can find unsmoked ham hocks in latin markets. If that doesn't work for you then try any other piece of the pork that has lots of bone to meat with sinews...good luck

if only smoked is available, then soak the damm knuckle in many changes of water until it doesn't smell smokey.. try a pinch of baking soda on the first round...it might work..it wont hurt.

[IrishCream]

Here is a TIP for you Houston eGers. Spec's Downtown was always willing to give me their Prosciutto di Parma butts (ends) at NO charge. They thought I was crazy, but they would save them for me! I sure miss Spec's!

edited to add: Fiesta Markets for unsmoked pork hocks!

Edited October 18, 2003 by IrishCream (log)

[malarkey]

I had a hell of a time finding non-smoked ham hock in Seattle. Even the local butcher shop said "nope". Finally a local grocery store came to my aid. They had to order it special, but they got it for me. Finding a good garlic sausage was a challenge too, I just couldn't face using kielbasa as a substitute. but I think this time around I have some good sources, and I just might make my own.

Its time I remade this dish. I love a project dish like this, and I adore the flavors in a good cassoulet. Great winter time fare.

[wesza]

I had a hell of a time finding non-smoked ham hock in Seattle. Even the local butcher shop said "nope". Finally a local grocery store came to my aid. They had to order it special, but they got it for me. Finding a good garlic sausage was a challenge too, I just couldn't face using kielbasa as a substitute. but I think this time around I have some good sources, and I just might make my own.

Malarkey: There are fresh anything from the pig, available at most Asian or Mexican Markets located in Seattle. Even ordering from your supermarket, will not provide you with the fresh, cut from the carcass, Hocks at these stores.

For your garlic sausage, it available in several varieties at any Russian/Polish Deli fresh everyday. I just bought a type of Garlic Sausage from Bobak in Chicago, that like a old fashioned Garlic Knockwurst, with real casing.

Central Market in Shoreline also has Garlic Sausage. If your not sure whats available close to your neighborhood, i'd be glad to suggest some stores.

Irwin

[LOS]

Wednesday night, I made Cassoulet. I took many shortcuts, and threw in whatever was in the refrigerator and needed to go. It turned out pretty damn well, if I do say so myself. Here's how it went:

1. Take a leg of lamb, cut into 1" cubes, roll in flour and herbs de Provence, and brown in a big stock pot. Reserve. Deglaze with chicken stock and reserve the liquid.

2. Chop coursely 2 onions, half a head of garlic, 2 shallots, 5 stalks celery, and half a pound of pancetta. Saute. Deglaze with a health slug of dry vermouth.

3. Chop 1 large and soggy tomato, and cube half a pound of leftover pork loin. Throw these into the pot, along with the lamb and a 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes and three 1-lb jars of white beans (Spanish white beans from Whole Foods). Add a can of chicken stock and some white wine vinegar and some leftover red Languedoc wine and a large bouquet garni of fresh rosemary and parsley.

4. Cut in half 2 lbs of andouille sausage and add to the pot.

5. Once bubbling, remove the pot from the stovetop and place in the preheated oven.

6. Get hungry. Wait half an hour, and eat a very very soupy Cassoulet for dinner.

7. Leave the rest in the oven, cracking the door open just a bit to facilitate evaporation. Go to bed and turn the oven off, but leave the cassoulet in.

8. Get up in the morning and discover that the evaporation has finished perfectly. Put cassoulet in the refrigerator.

9. Cut duck breast confit into halves, cleaning the larger bits of fat off. Place in serving container with cassoulet and reheat.

10. Enjoy with a well-aged Bandol.

Lee

[FoodMan]

Ok, as suspected I did find unsmoked ham hocks at my local hispanic market (Fiesta in Houston). I bought one package for 2.99 which contained 2-3 hocks that were sliced into about 2 inch thickness. They also carry fresh pork rinds (skin with very little meat attached to it.

Now I need to make some confit and I'm pretty much ready to put it all together.

Elie

[Schneier]

Wednesday night, I made Cassoulet.  I took many shortcuts, and threw in whatever was in the refrigerator and needed to go.  It turned out pretty damn well, if I do say so myself.  Here's how it went:

1.  Take a leg of lamb, cut into 1" cubes, roll in flour and herbs de Provence, and brown in a big stock pot.  Reserve.  Deglaze with chicken stock and reserve the liquid.

2.  Chop coursely 2 onions, half a head of garlic, 2 shallots, 5 stalks celery, and half a pound of pancetta.  Saute.  Deglaze with a health slug of dry vermouth. 

3.  Chop 1 large and soggy tomato, and cube half a pound of leftover pork loin.  Throw these into the pot, along with the lamb and a 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes and three 1-lb jars of white beans (Spanish white beans from Whole Foods).  Add a can of chicken stock and some white wine vinegar and some leftover red Languedoc wine and a large bouquet garni of fresh rosemary and parsley. 

4.  Cut in half 2 lbs of andouille sausage and add to the pot. 

5.  Once bubbling, remove the pot from the stovetop and place in the preheated oven. 

6.  Get hungry.  Wait half an hour, and eat a very very soupy  Cassoulet for dinner. 

7.  Leave  the rest in the oven, cracking the door open just a bit to facilitate evaporation.  Go to bed and turn the oven off, but leave the cassoulet in. 

8.  Get up in the morning and discover that the evaporation has finished perfectly.  Put cassoulet in the refrigerator. 

9.  Cut duck breast confit into halves, cleaning the larger bits of fat off.  Place in serving container with cassoulet and reheat. 

10.  Enjoy with a well-aged Bandol.

Lee

Excellent. I'm glad you posted this. I would have, but I didn't know what you did. (Pleased to have been part of step 10, though.)

[badthings]

Should anyone wish to make cassoulet with fresh shelling beans in the future, I should clarify something. I did manage to guess correctly that 3.5 pounds of beans in the pod would equal two pounds when shelled, but this was not equivalent to 2 lbs. of dried beans. Since the fresh beans were already hydrated, they are probably roughly equivalent to beans that have soaked overnight. So for a more precise conversion, someone will have to take two pounds of dry beans, then weigh them after they've soaked.

(this is why seven people were able to polish off the cassoulet without any crises de foie).

[phlawless]

So I'm going to make my first cassoulet this week-end, to serve on Sunday night. I'm using Julia Child's recipe in Mastering the Art as a guide line but would like some advice and some questions answered.

First, must this be made in an earthenware pot? The one I have is not large enough, though I do have 2 old Puritan roasters: one cast iron and the other cast aluminum. Can I use one of these or should I borrow?

Are flageolets worth the price? The store I found them at doesn't have that high of turnover on their dry goods, so I can't be guaranteed how fresh they are, and they were 8 bucks for 1/2 a pound. I also live in an area where these are hard to come by.

Luckily, this shop does have a very good charcuterie department, and they are making sausage appropriate for the cassoulet (they just happen to be having a sausage tasting this week-end!), so that is taken care of. Now, do I go with duck confit? Julia says after all is said and done, the texture and flavor are very similiar to pork loin, and since duck fat is used elsewhere in the recipe, that it's not worth the trouble. What about lamb shoulder? or the pork loin? or pork confit?

I know there are numerous variations on this classic, but I'd like some input on what others have succeeded with.

And, I'd also love some wine recommendations...

[Carolyn Tillie]

Here my thread on my Christmas Cassoulet.

For years, I used a metal pot and will now not make it in anything but clay. If you must use metal, I would stick to iron but stay away from aluminum.

You don't have to use the flageolets, considering the price, but if you consider making it again, mail-order them ahead of time. They are definitely worth it but can understand the frustration at so high a price.

I guess if you are getting to a point where you aren't using confit or flageolets, you are making what is similar to cassoulet, but not really cassoulet. It really is worth it to have the confit in it -- it isn't JUST the duck fat that makes the flavor. Mine had the confit, sausage, and three or four cuts of pork.

Lastly, as far as wine is concerned, a good hefty red is required. You need it to cut through the fat. I recommend something from Burgundy.

Good luck - and let us know how it comes out!

[Richard Kilgore]

In addition to Carolyn's fine thread, you also may want to look through Foodman's Cassoulet thread.

And yes, do let us know how it goes. Whether or not it's a "true" Cassoulet, it should be delicious.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Whether or not it's a "true" Cassoulet, it should be delicious.

True! I didn't mean to sound disparaging about not having the "proper" ingredients when there really are none.

(Okay, get folks together from Talouse, Languedoc, and Castelnaudary and watch folks fight about what are PROPER ingredients!)

[phlawless]

should the earthenware pot be glazed or not?

[Carolyn Tillie]

should the earthenware pot be glazed or not?

Glazed on the inside - not on the outside.

[Richard Kilgore]

And Carolyn, I did not mean to imply that you were disparaging.

Phlawless -- much will be revealed in the two thread links above.

[phlawless]

I read through those threads, very helpful. Any opinions about the lamb Julia recommends?

[Carolyn Tillie]

And Carolyn, I did not mean to imply that you were disparaging.

Oh, I didn't think you were -- I just re-read my post and thought, "what the hell do I think I know anyway????"

I was going to try and look for the Houston thread to add as a reference as well and got tied up doing my "real job" so I appreciate you adding it as well.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I read through those threads, very helpful. Any opinions about the lamb Julia recommends?

Gotta admit - I've never tried a lamb-based cassoulet. Various forms of pork and duck are all I've tried. I might add some caution about getting very fresh lamb, though. Mutton-quality lamb could add an overwhelming gamey taste that might be a tad overpowering.

[FoodMan]

Whatever you do do not skip the Duck Confit, it's essential and SO GOOD. The other piece of advice is you need to adjust the liquid level if you use a metal instead of clay pot (I'm sure you already read that in the Houston thread though).

Let us know how it turns out.

Elie

[phlawless]

would the glaze affect the liquid level? i.e. more evaporation with unglazed?