Ingredients:
Bouquet Garni : see below
2 lb. dried navy beans
4 carrots
3 medium onions
2 whole cloves
1 small head plus 5
1 cloves garlic
1 piece (4 oz) pork rind, rolled, tied (optional)
1 duck (about 5 lb) cut into
8 pieces with giblets
salt and freshly ground
pepper to taste
1 (8 oz) thick sliced bacon, cut into 1 inch squares
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, drained, coarsely chopped, liquid reserved
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 1/2 lb. garlic sausage, such as Kielbasa
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
Procedure:
Place beans in large Dutch oven and add water to cover by 3 inch heat over medium heat to boiling. Meanwhile, prepare bouquet garni. Scrub 1 carrot and trim ends. Peel 1 onion and stick it with the cloves. Add bouquet garni, onion, 1 head garlic, pork rind (if using) and duck giblets (but not he liver) to beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, adding water if necessary, until tender, 1 and 1/2 hours. Drain beans reserving liquid. Discard herbs and vegetables. Chop giblets and pork rind; mix with beans in large bowl. Add salt and pepper. Meanwhile, fry bacon in large heavy saucepan over medium heat until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then stir into beans. Discard fat. Trim fat from duck and prick skin thoroughly with fork. Brown duck on all sides in same saucepan over medium high heat, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Pour off duck fat and reserve. Pare and thickly slice remaining carrots; coarsely chop remaining onions. Add to the same saucepan; cook stirring occasionally, over medium heat until softened about 5 minutes. Mince 5 cloves garlic, add to pan, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 3 minutes. Add 1 cup bean liquid and scrape brown bits from bottom of pan. Return duck to saucepan; sprinkle with thyme. Add enough bean liquid to partially cover duck. Simmer covered over low heat until duck is tender, about 1 and 1/4 hours. Remove duck. Spoon off as much fat as possible from the broth. Meanwhile, add sausage to large pan of simmering water; simmer 5 - 7 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Peel and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Heat oven to 325°. Halve remaining clove garlic and rub over inside of large Dutch oven, then coat with 2 tablespoons reserved duck fat. Sprinkling each layer with pepper, add ingredients to pot as follows; one fourth the beans; half the sausage, one fourth the beans; one third the duck broth with the vegetables, the duck pieces, one third the broth, one fourth the beans, then remaining sausage, broth, and beans. Add bean liquid if necessary to come to the top of the beans without covering them. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons duck fat. Bake covered 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake 45 minutes longer, breaking crust and turning top crust under with large spoon 2 or 3 times. Increase heat to 400° F. Add some tomato liquid if cassoulet seems dry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons duck fat. Bake until top is crusty and golden, about 20 minutes longer. Serve hot from Dutch oven.
For bouquet garni, tie 1 bay leaf, i leek, 1 rib celery, 3 sprigs parsely, and 1 pinch dried thyme in cheesecloth (or purchase). Serve with a Cotes du Rhone.
