Duck Confit Cassoulet
Prep time: 4hrs | Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
• 4 duck confit legs (about 900–1,000g total), excess fat reserved
• 300g dried haricot beans (or other small white beans), soaked overnight and drained
• 200g smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, cut into small lardons
• 250g Toulouse sausage (or other garlicky pork sausage), cut into 2–3cm chunks
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2g dried thyme (or 3–4 fresh thyme sprigs)
• 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 500ml chicken stock (low salt if possible)
• 150ml dry white wine
• 25g tomato purée
• 30g fresh breadcrumbs
• 15g duck fat (from the confit) or olive oil (for browning duck and sausage)
• 10g duck fat (for greasing the dish)
• 6g fine sea salt (plus extra to taste)
• 3g freshly ground black pepper (plus extra to taste)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan 150°C). In a large ovenproof casserole dish, warm 10g duck fat over medium heat. Add the drained beans, bay leaf, thyme, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, white wine, chicken stock and 4g salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven for 60–75 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the beans are just tender but still holding their shape.
2. While the beans cook, heat 15g duck fat in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the duck confit legs, skin-side down, and brown for 4–6 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp. Flip and warm the underside for 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. In the same pan, add the sausage pieces and bacon lardons; cook 6–8 minutes, stirring, until browned and just cooked on the outside. Set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pan.
3. In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Season with 1–2g salt and a pinch of pepper. Tip this vegetable mixture, along with the sausage and bacon, into the casserole with the beans. Stir gently, taste the liquid and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.
4. Increase oven temperature to 180°C (fan 170°C). Lightly grease the top of the cassoulet with a little of the reserved duck fat if the surface looks dry. Nestle the duck confit legs skin-side up into the beans so the skin is mostly exposed. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the surface. Bake uncovered for 45–60 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and crisp in spots, the duck is heated through and the beans are creamy and bubbling around the edges. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let the cassoulet rest 10–15 minutes before serving so the juices settle and the beans thicken slightly. Serve hot, making sure each portion gets some beans, sausage, bacon and a duck leg, with an extra grind of black pepper over the top.
Storage:
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in an ovenproof dish at 160°C, covered, with a splash of water or stock until piping hot all the way through, or warm individual portions on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
