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Recipe: Cassoulet from Boulevardier

As cooler weather prevails, try your hand at this winter friendly dish along with some choice pairings from Languedoc wines.
By D Partner Studio |
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Boulevardier is in its fifth year of providing daring but rustic French favorites to Dallasites of all neighborhoods. We flock to the Oak Cliff bistro for brunch and sometimes wait more than an hour for a table. These folks have the goods and we want them. But you can also dine in rustic chic without even leaving your house. Today’s recipe challenge is Boulevardier’s very own cassoulet, which is a stew made with meat and beans. It sounds simple when described that way, but it’s got a great depth with the use of duck confit, sausage and pork belly, all served in a cast iron pot. It’s hearty, handsome and being from the Languedoc in the south of France, it will feel right at home with wines from the same region. And as you can imagine, a dish this rich requires wine of equally generous heft. The first suggested pairing is the Chateau de Paraza (AOP Minervois).  This voluptuous red has a subtle spice and holds up well with dishes like a cassoulet. Wines from this appellation showcase Syrah in the blend. For the second choice, we recommend the Col des Vents (AOP Corbières). The Corbières appellation tends to include more Carignan, which is fruit forward with notes of umami. This is a perfect companion to the cassoulet. These juicy wines will hold their own and complement your dish well. Just plan on getting some solid rest after all the plates have been cleared. You’re in for a treat. 

Find these wines at your favorite local retailers


Cassoulet Boulevardier

Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients

For the duck confit
6 duck legs
1 cup salt
½ cup sugar
1 bay leaf
10 sprigs thyme
10 sprigs parsley
10 black peppercorns
Duck fat, to cover
(available at Central
Market)

For the cassoulet
6 cups white beans
(such as cannellini)
1 bouquet garni
(bundle of herbs tied
together)
4 ounces pork skin
1 stalk celery
1 carrot, peeled
1 onion, halved plus 1
onion, sliced
½ cup canned
tomatoes
½ teaspoon quatre
épices (black
pepper, cloves,
cinnamon, and
nutmeg)
2 tablespoons duck fat
8 ounces slab bacon,
large cubed
½ cup duck
confit (recipe above)
1½ pound sausage
(such as a
Toulouse-style
garlic sausage)
5 cloves garlic, sliced
Sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper

Directions

For the duck confit

Put all the dry ingredients and herbs in a food processor and process until you have a paste. Rub the duck legs with this mixture and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Wash the cure off the duck legs and pat dry. The duck legs must be placed in an ovenproof container deep enough to be covered by duck fat. They must remain submerged under the duck fat. Cook the submerged legs at 250° for about 4 hours, or until fork tender.

For the cassoulet

Soak the white beans overnight and discard the water. Combine the beans, bouquet garnie, pork skin, celery, carrot, onion, tomatoes, and quatre épices in a large pot. Cover with water by 1 inch and simmer until the beans are just starting to get tender. The beans will cook mostly in the oven with the remaining ingredients.

In a large Dutch oven, sear the bacon, duck confit, and sausages in the duck fat. Remove the meat from the Dutch oven and caramelize the garlic and sliced onion in the remaining fat. Add the softened pork skin from the beans to the onions and garlic. At this point, purée the caramelized onions, garlic, and pork skin in a blender. You will probably have to add a little of the cooking liquid from the beans. Add the bean mixture to the Dutch oven with the purée and all the reserved seared meat.

Bake the mixture uncovered at 300° for about 2 hours. Make sure it is not drying out. Check it every 30 minutes. If it looks dry, fold in a little water. After the beans are cooked through and have thickened, season with a little sherry vinegar and salt and pepper.

Remove the remaining duck legs from the fat. Place on a flat baking tray and bake at 400˚ for 20 minutes, or until skin is crisp.

Use the broiler to caramelize the top of the cassoulet. Top with crispy duck legs.

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