In the past I’ve been a little snooty about the duck confit and opted for a bit of mutton or lamb but I have to admit that I've changed my mind. It does bring a certain unctuosity to the party so it’s quack quack all round. Ham hock isn’t traditional either but as the excellent Felicity Cloake pointed out in The Guardian, it replaces both the cured meat and pigs skin so it’s oink oink there too.
The number of times you break the crust and stir in the bread crumbs is also the subject of some debate. A slightly wet, rather than claggy, cassoulet is much easier, and more enjoyable, to eat so stirring once, followed by a light sprinkling of crumbs before the final bake is perfect.
Its not exactly traditional because it brings a bit of smokiness into the mix but our Montbeliard sausage would also a good addition.
Simmer the ham hock in plenty of water for two hours. Throw away the water.
Meanwhile, fry the duck, pork belly or lamb breast, and sausages separately in plenty of duck fat until crisp and golden. When cool, cut the sausages into large chunks and strip the meat from the duck in large pieces.
Drain the beans well and put them in a large, ovenproof casserole dish. Pour in water until it comes about 3cm above the top of the beans, then add the onion, whole head of garlic, herbs and ham hock. If the ham hock isn't covered, cut it in half along the flesh side of the bone. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about two hours, until the beans are just tender, but not falling apart.
Remove the onion, herbs and ham hock. Bin the first two and strip the meat from the ham hock. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins and mash to a paste with four tablespoons of duck fat and the fresh garlic cloves. Stir in the tomato puree.
Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/gas mark one.
Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Grease the bottom of the casserole with a little of the duck fat mix, then tip in the beans, the rest of the duck fat and the pieces of meat. Mix well and top with just enough liquid to cover – you probably won't need to add any seasoning, as both the ham and the confit will be quite salty.
Sprinkle a layer of breadcrumbs over the top and bake for about two hours, keeping an eye on it. Once a crust has formed, stir this back into the cassoulet, and dust with a few more breadcrumbs. Leave until the crust has just begun to form and brown and take out of the oven. Rest for twenty minutes.
Drizzle with a pokey olive oil, and leave to cool slightly before serving with a sharply dressed green salad.
10 servings
6-8 Servings