Cassoulet

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cubed
• 1/2 pound pork sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
• Small bunch thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 pound great northern beans, soaked overnight then drained
• 3 cups stock, or water
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Set the oven to 325 degrees F. Warm a braising dish over medium high heat, then put in the chopped bacon. Cook until the pieces are crisp and the fat has cooked out, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
2. Sprinkle the cubed pork shoulder with salt, then brown it in batches in the same dish. Transfer the pork to a plate. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove it as well.
3. Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the braising dish and cook until the onions turn translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the parsley, thyme and bay leaves, then pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Return the pork shoulder, bacon and sausage to the pot, then stir in the soaked beans. Pour in the stock or water and bring everything to a simmer. Cover the dish, move it to the oven and cook for 90 minutes.
5. Take the cassoulet out of the oven and uncover it, then return it to the oven without the lid for another hour. Check on it now and then so it does not dry out; if it starts looking too dry, cover the dish again.
6. While that cooks, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small sauté pan set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, add the breadcrumbs, toss until evenly coated, and season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper.
7. After the cassoulet has baked uncovered for an hour, remove it from the oven and taste for seasoning. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
8. Sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs over the cassoulet. Slide it back into the hot oven and bake until the top is browned and the edges are bubbling, about 25 minutes. Serve with green salad and lots of wine.