This is a wonderfully warming cassoulet recipe for cold days. Easy to make, comforting, and packed full of flavour.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 poussins (or, if you prefer, one large free-range chicken)
- 150g piece smoked bacon, cut into thick slices, or bacon lardons
- 6 Toulouse sausages, twisted in the middle to make 12 smaller sausages, then cut to separate
- 1 large onion, finely sliced
- 1 celery stick, finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 500ml dry white wine
- 1 bouquet garni (see tip)
- 500ml chicken stock, hot
- 2 x 400g tins haricot beans, drained and rinsed
- Handful of fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped
- 50g fresh breadcrumbs
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 140°C/fan120°C/gas 1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based casserole. Season the poussins or chicken well, then brown lightly all over. Remove and set aside. Add the bacon to the pan and fry gently for 5 minutes until lightly golden, then remove with a slotted spoon.
- 2. Add the sausages to the dish and fry over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes to brown, then remove and set aside with the bacon.
- 3. Gently fry the sliced onion and celery for 10 minutes until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and fry for a further minute. Pour in the white wine and bubble briskly for 5 minutes until reduced by a third.
- 4. Return the poussins/chicken, bacon and sausage to the pan, then add the bouquet garni and pour in the stock. Season well, bring to the boil, then transfer, uncovered, to the oven for 1 hour (1 hour 20 minutes if you’re using a whole chicken).
- 5. Remove the casserole from the oven and increase the temperature to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.
- 6. With a slotted spoon remove the poussins/chicken and sausages and set aside. Put the casserole on the hob and boil the liquid over a high heat for about 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half.
- 7. Remove from the heat, gently stir in the beans and parsley, then return the poussins/chicken and sausages to the dish. Scatter over the breadcrumbs – mainly around the birds, leaving most of the poussin/chicken breast(s) exposed – then return to the oven for 20 minutes. Serve with steamed greens.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 582kcals, 19.7g fat (5.7g saturated), 58.6g protein, 24.6g carbs (3.5g sugars), 1.7g salt, 7.9g fibre
Chef's tip
A bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs tied with string that is used to flavour stock, soups and stews. You can buy ready-made dried ones from most supermarkets or, for better flavour, make your own using fresh herbs: tie together 2 rosemary sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs, a couple of parsley stalks and a bay leaf.
Wine Recommendation
This is a wonderfully warming cassoulet recipe for cold days. Easy to make, comforting, and packed full of flavour.
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