Slow Cooker Cassoulet

My version of this fabulous rustic French country dish, cooked in the slow cooker.  This is not a fast dish to make, but it really is worth the time and effort for a very filling, warming feast.  This also makes a really big pot full, so you can always freeze some for another day,

 

150g smoked lardons

400g Sausages – traditionally Toulouse sausages or garlic sausages are used, however I use my local farm shops homemade pork sausages, simply because they are fantastic .

600g  Dried Haricot Beans – soaked overnight

1 stick of celery

1 onion

1 carrot

6 cloves of garlic

25g goose fat

1 bouquet garni

Sea salt

Black pepper

2 tsps lemon juice

1 crushed clove

2 ripe plum tomatoes – an idea stolen from Raymond Blanc and they do make a difference

4 confit duck legs

50g duck fat

50g breadcrumbs

1 additional clove of garlic

chopped flat parsley

Method

Drain the beans and put them in a large saucepan along with the lardons, cover them in cold water, bring to the boil and blanche for 15 mins, then drain and leave to one side

Heat the goose fat in a pan

Roughly chop the celery, onion, carrot and quarter the tomatoes, peel the garlic – but leave them whole

Sweat the celery, onion and garlic in the goose fat

Add the tomatoes, crushed clove and bouquet garni and cook slowly until it becomes caramelised

Add the beans and lardons

Chop your sausages into diagonal pieces – leaving them reasonably large

Add them to the pan and then add 1.5 pints of water

Season with sea salt and black pepper and add the lemon juice

Bring it to the boil and them skim off any scum.

Pour everything into you slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours.  Stir the mixture occasionally

Once the beans are soft and the mixture has a creamy texture, add the duck legs by burying them under the beans

Finely chop the last clove of garlic and add it to the slow cooker

Add the breadcrumbs

Cook on high for a further hour, then turn to low and leave it to cook for another 2 hours.

Sprinkle with the parsely and serve in bowls with delicious Crusty bread like a Pain de Campagne.