“Quick” Cassoulet

Maybe this is not that quick after all, but hey, if you are trying to elevate what are basically pork-n-beans to a meal worthy level, so be it. Actually most of the time involved is in the actual cooking,  but since this done with low heat and requires almost zero attention during that time, the effort is really not so bad.

There really must be hundreds of ways of preparing a cassoulet, but this preparation captures the essence, without a lot of fuss.

Ingredients

• 8 Sausages (2 varieties)
• 2 smoked pork hocks
• 5 strips bacon
• 2 cups dry white beans
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 large sweet onion
• 2 tomatoes
• Bouquet Garni (10 thyme sprigs, 1 sage sprig, 1 rosemary sprig)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 tablespoons of butter

For this recipe I used both artisan-made bratwurst and chicken and apple sausages. Feel free to use any kind of sausage, but 1) make sure at least one of the sausages is a pork sausage, and 2) do NOT use a spicy sausage.

First prepare the beans. I used dry great northern beans in this preparation. You must use dry beans, otherwise, your beans will be mush after the cassoulet is cooked. Soak the beans overnight or use the quick method of placing them in boiling water for 3 minutes, then covering and removing for heat, then letting them soak for 1 hour.

Chop the onion into a medium dice and finely mince the 4 cloves of garlic. Sauté both in a tablespoon of the butter until the onions begin to caramelize.

Chop the bacon into 1 inch pieces.

Peel and remove pulp from the tomatoes, and chop the flesh into a 1/4 inch dice.

In a large oven-safe pot, add the onion/garlic mixture, the tomato dice, the soaked beans, the pork hocks, the bacon, the sausages, the salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons of butter and the chicken stock. Place the bouquet garni on top and cover the pot. Place the cassoulet in a 230 degree oven and let cook for 4 hours, covered. At the end of 4 hours, carefully remove the pork hocks from the cassoulet, and let them cool enough to be able to remove the meat fat and skin from the hock. Chop the hock trimmings and add back to the cassoulet. Remove the bouquet garni. Allow to cook, uncovered for 1 more hour, being careful to monitor the liquid content of the cassoulet, so it does not dry out.

Serve rustic-style, in a large bowl.

Green Goodness – Collards

Growing up in the South, I have been eating collard greens since I was a child. I find them less bitter than turnip or mustard greens, and far more substantial than spinach, chard, or kale.

Although I have prepared them many ways, This 2-step cooking process is the way I enjoy them the most.

Step One – the primary cooking

Ingredients

• One large bunch of collard greens
• 3 smoked pork hocks
• 2 tablespoons of salt
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper

Throughly wash the collard greens, as they tend to come with lots of grit on them. Remove the stems from the leaves (cutting well up into the leaf). Stack several leaves together, roll them up, and cut into 1/2 inch strips as shown below:

In a 6 to 8 quart pot, add the greens, the smoked pork hock, the salt and pepper, and enough water to cover them throughly. Bring to a boil. then reduce heat and simmer for at least 4 hours. Yes, it is along long time, but the greens tend to be tough if not cooked this long. And yes, prepare to smell them while they are cooking !

Step Two – The secondary cooking

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick of butter
• 2 tablespoons of pepper vinegar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

Remove the greens from heat, and pour them into a large colander, draining them throughly.

Remove the pork hock from the greens and allow them to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove as much meat (and skin and fat!) from the hock bones, and chop it all up.

In a skillet, melt the butter and add chopped pork hock. Cook long enough to render the pork fat and brown the pork meat. Add the well-drained greens to the skillet. Sauté the greens until most of the butter and any excess liquid has cooked away, then add the black pepper, salt and pepper vinegar. Cook a couple of minutes more to allow the the pepper and vinegar to impart their flavors.

Of course, you could make these greens much healthier by not using the pork or as much salt and butter, but these are the things that transform and elevate them.