Cassoulet

By: Deborah

This cassoulet recipe features tender beans and meats, and aromatic herbs slow cooked to perfection. A hearty one pan meal perfect for cosy dinners or special occasions.

PREP: 25

COOK: 1 40

TOTAL: 2 5

Course: Main

Cuisine: French

Servings: 6 people

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Ingredients

0.5 tsp sunflower oil
6 sausages (at least 85% meat)
2 onions sliced
2 cloves garlic crushed
6 skinless boneless chicken thighs (approx. 450g) trimmed of fat and cut in halves (see Notes)
200 g (7.1 oz) piece unsmoked lean gammon trimmed and cut into 2cm cubes (see Notes)
4 celery sticks trimmed and sliced diagonally (1.5cm)
3 carrots peeled and sliced diagonally (1.5cm)
2 x 400 g (28 oz) tins chopped tomatoes
150 ml (¾ cup) red wine (or water)
300 ml cold water
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 bay leaf
4 to 5 bushy sprigs fresh thyme
freshly ground black pepper
400 g (14 oz) tin cannellini beans drained and rinsed
400 g (14 oz) tin butter beans drained and rinsed
handful fresh flat leaf parsley chopped, to garnish

Instructions

Brush a large (at least 5 litre) flameproof casserole with the sunflower oil, using the tip of a pastry brush. Add the sausages to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, turning every now and then until nicely browned on all sides.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Add the onions to the frying pan and cook with the sausages for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring regularly until softened and lightly browned.
Add the garlic and chicken pieces to the pan with the sausages and onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning the chicken twice until coloured all over.
Stir in the gammon, celery, carrots, tomatoes, red wine and 300ml cold water, then sprinkle over the caster sugar and chilli flakes. Stir in the bay leaf and thyme and season with lots of ground black pepper.
Bring the cassoulet to a simmer on the hob, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 45 minutes.
Take the casserole out of the oven and stir in all the beans. Cover with the lid again and put the dish back in the oven for another 30 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Serve large portions of the cassoulet in deep plates or wide bowls and garnish with the chopped parsley…and some nice crusty bread on the side!

Notes

Chicken and gammon - chunks of skinless chicken breast will also work and if you don't have gammon, you can use strips of bacon or lardons instead.
Vegetarian option - replace meats with hearty vegetables like mushrooms, aubergine or courgettes and use smoked paprika for a similar depth of flavour.

This cassoulet recipe is easily adapted if you're cooking for less people.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS cassoulet recipe, comfort food, date night, freezable, Hairy Bikers, make ahead, one pan, special dinner, The Hairy Dieters, Valentine's meal, winter warmer

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