Week 8: Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

“Beans beans the magical fruit!  The more you eat the more you... toot.”

I couldn’t talk about beans and not use that.

Mom: “This week I want to make something with beans.”

Me: “Sure.  Okay.”

Dad: “What about baked beans and red hotdogs?”

Me: “Dad, we live in Maine.  We’ve definitely made that before.”

Mom: “I want to make a cassoulet.”

Me: “A cass-o-what?”

Mom: “A CASSOULET.  Beans.  Sausage.  Bread.  Hearty.”

Me: “Sure.  Okay.”

So there you have it!  That pretty much is how we decide what to make each week.  Mom or I make a suggestion and the other one usually agrees, or makes another suggestion.  Oh, and for those of you who don’t know what a red hotdog is, come to Maine during the summer months.  They are kind of legendary, and oddly delicious.  Ahhh... summer months.  Yes, I remember those.  Unfortunately we still have plenty of winter to push through before we can engage in backyard BBQs with red hotdogs and baked beans.  And this week’s recipe, Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet (found here), is the perfect hearty dish to warm you up as the temperatures continue to dip in the negatives.

So, a cassoulet is traditionally a slow cooked dish, usually with meat and beans, that originated in France.  This recipe may not be a traditional cassoulet, but I think it at least deserves to be considered in the same family... perhaps it’s American cousin.  Anyway, I found it to be exactly what I expected.  I loved the saltiness from the Italian sausage mixed with the sweetness of diced tomatoes.  The beans were definitely hearty and brought everything together nicely.  I was super easy to put together, and could definitely feed a crowd.  

A few changes I made:

1. I used five sausages instead of four... because five came in the package.
2. I used two 15 ounce cans of beans instead of 19 ounces.  I realize that this is a huge increase in the number of beans, but I couldn’t find a 19 ounce can and I didn’t want to waste the poor little legumes that would have been left behind.
3. I added extra tomatoes to account for the extra beans.  I eyeballed this.
4. I diced my onions rather than slice them simply because this is how my husband and I prefer them. 
5. Lastly, I used four slices of bread for the topping instead of two.  I love my carbs and it seemed like the right thing to do.
6. Oh wait!  There was is one more!  I added parmesan cheese when it was served.     

I also made one of my most favorite desserts, Cracker Barrel Double Fudge Coca-Cola Cake.  I found the recipe here while scouring the web for all things chocolately.  I think I love it because of the chocolate frosting that you pour on the cake when it is fresh from the oven... but then again it may be the moist rich cake that does it for me.  In any case, it is my perfect slice of chocolate.  It can be made with Coca-Cola, Root Beer, or Dr. Pepper.  Trust me.  And you're welcome.  

 

Mom

Some people are fat, some people are lean,

Show me the person who doesn't like beans!

-Anonymous

Thursday dawned cloudy and gray.  Of course, more snow was on its way, with 6-8 inches forecasted.  It was a gloomy, dark day.  The only bright spot was the night's menu - Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet.

Classic cassoulet recipes are complicated with many ingredients resulting in complex flavors.  This recipe is simple, with most ingredients found in your pantry.  It doesn't take long to prepare and would be a flavorful weekday meal.   It would be easy to double the recipe to feed larger groups, or to provide leftovers, which in my case, proved to be delicious!

I used six sausages, rather than four.  Six came in the package and it seemed silly to freeze just two.  I was going to save two of the cooked sausages and use them in an omelet, but what the heck, we love Italian sausages.  Browning the sausages took the most time.  The rest was easy.   I used crushed tomatoes instead of diced since they were in my pantry.  The result was a thick sauce and I had to add water.  Next time, I'll use diced, or stewed.  I deglazed the pan with a little red wine and that added a bit of yumminess.  The topping, essentially croutons, were toasted in a pan with a bit of olive oil and garlic.  They were scrumptious, although beware, they burn easily!

Would I make this again?  Most definitely!  It passed the "Honey, Would you eat this again?", with five "yums" up.   Words like "hearty"  and "satisfying" come to mind when describing this dish.  I think it would be easy to turn this into a crock pot favorite, with a hot, soul-satisfying meal waiting after a day of snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.

Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

INGREDIENTS

• 4 sweet Italian sausage links (about 10 ounces total), skins pricked all over with a fork
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 medium onions, halves and sliced thin lengthwise (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 1 1/2 teaspoon mixed chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and/or sage or 3/4 teaspoon mixed dried herbs, crumbled
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup chopped scallion greens or fresh parsley (wash and dry before chopping)
• a 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes including juice
• 19-ounce can white beans such as cannellini, navy, or Great Northern, drained and rinsed

For topping

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts discarded, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 small garlic clove, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (wash and dry before chopping)
  

PREPARATION

1. In a medium skillet cook sausages in oil over moderate heat, turning them, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to drain.

2. In fat remaining in skillet cook onions and garlic, stirring, until golden, and stir in herbs (including bay leaf), scallions or parsley, tomatoes with juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Boil mixture, stirring, 5 minutes. 

3. Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add sausage and beans to tomato mixture and cook, stirring, until heated through. Discard bay leaf and keep "cassoulet" warm, covered.

Make topping:
In a small skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté bread until pale golden. Stir in garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and sauté, stirring, 1 minute.

Transfer "cassoulet" to a 1-quart serving dish and cover evenly with topping.

ENJOY!