Cassoulet is a rich stew that has been around since the Middle Ages. It originated in France, and has been especially popular during the holiday season. It invariably contains beans and whatever meats happen to be available. Over the centuries numerous regional variations have evolved, and the dish has traveled far beyond France. I've compared various recipes for the dish over the years, and have found that personal taste also affects the ingredients chosen. So, the recipe included here is not concerned with being authentic. I've seen several versions that use rice. By using rice, you can have a whole meal in one pot. If you wish to make the recipe without using rice, only use half as much water. Different types of rice may require different amounts of water. If your meat selection is ham and sausage, you may want to use only half a cube of bouillon (or use low-sodium bouillon).

About the beans: I use canned cannellini beans, taking care to pour the beans into a container with a lot of water, and using a slotted spoon to lift the beans out, then discarding the water. This reduces the salt content, and minimizes the flatulence that will result from eating the dish. You can use half a cup of dried beans instead of canned beans. This will add a couple of hours of preparation time. If you need help cooking dried beans, consult this entry. Many recipes call for "white beans." Cannellini are white, but you can use other white beans such as Navy beans or Great Northern beans instead.

Instructions

Measure out the spices and mix them together:

• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1 tsp of dried parsley
• 1 cube of chicken bouillon
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• Pepper to taste

You will need to have 3 cups of water.

Here are the canned goods that will go into the recipe:

• One or two 14-ounce cans of cannellini
• A 4- to 8-ounce can of chopped olives [don’t drain]
• Two 8-ounce cans of tomato sauce, preferably low-sodium
• One 8-ounce can of artichoke hearts [don’t drain]

Here are some of the meats that you can use. Choose two or more of the following, in amounts that make sense to you:

• Breakfast sausages
• Diced ham
• Chicken
• Tuna fish

Other ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of rice [preferably brown]
• Frozen greens
• Sliced onions
• Sliced carrots
• One or two tablespoons of wine, optional

Method

Put three or four tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a stew pot or Dutch oven. Add the water, the spice mixture, and the meat. Stir well. Turn on heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let pot simmer for fifteen minutes. Add all the other ingredients. Bring to boil again. Lower the heat and simmer covered for thirty minutes. Serves 4.

There's a guide entry on cassoulet.

Paulh

06.03.23 Front Page

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