Cassoulet of cannellini beans, duck and Toulouse sausage

Recipe by: Jan Cutler

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Serves: 4
Yield: 4 servings
Ready in: 40 mins (15 mins Prep - 25 mins Cook)

A traditional French cassoulet would take several hours to cook, but you can make this shortcut version using canned beans and succulent, quick-browned duck breasts, then leave it to bubble on the hob. Serve with crusty garlic bread and steamed Savoy cabbage.

Recipe provided by:

Reader's Digest | Midweek Meals Made Easy

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
3 fresh Toulouse or merguez sausages
2 skinless duck breast fillets, cut into bite-sized chunks
125g bacon lardons
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
400g can chopped tomatoes with herbs
2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Preparation method

Brown the meats: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large flameproof casserole or heavy-based pan and brown the sausages all over for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and add the duck pieces and lardons. Stir-fry until browned all over.
Add the vegetables: Add the onion and garlic to the casserole or pan, and cook for 5 more minutes. Cut each sausage into four pieces and return to the casserole or pan, followed by the beans, the tomatoes, thyme and seasoning.
Finish the cassoulet: Bring to the boil, then simmer gently, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is slightly reduced. Serve.

Cooking tip

You can give the cassoulet a traditional topping, if you have time. Preheat the grill to high, then scatter 4 tbsp dried breadcrumbs over the cassoulet at the end of step 3. Grill until the crumbs turn golden (if necessary, wrap a wooden handle with foil to protect it from the heat of the grill).

…more ideas

*Flageolet and monkfish cassoulet: Instead of the duck and sausages, use 400g monkfish fillets (black membrane removed), cut into 3cm chunks. Lightly brown the monkfish at step 1 for 2-3 minutes. Increase the lardons to 200g and use a 400g can of flageolet beans instead of the cannellini beans. Cook the cassoulet for 15 minutes, adding the monkfish for the last 5-7 minutes of cooking. Serve with lightly steamed Swiss chard or spinach.
*Vegetarian cassoulet: Omit all the meats and use 3 smoked garlic cloves instead of fresh. Add 1 chopped fennel bulb and 1 peeled and chopped carrot to the onion at step 2, and use 2 cans each of the tomatoes and beans. For a more substantial dish, add a 200g pack smoked or marinated tofu, cubed, or a 300g pack Quorn pieces. Make the breadcrumb topping (see Cooking tip), adding 3 tbsp grated Parmesan or Italian-style hard cheese.