110° Magazine-East County Living

It’s bean time! Beans and various meats that have been preserved for the winter are cooked together in a savory stew that bubbles up through a golden thick crust of breadcrumbs. It’s time to revisit the ol’ pot of beans on the stove. You will be so happy you took a little extra effort because the savory stew brings a lot of comfort to your table and to you too.

Dried beans are high in complex carbohydrates. As if being rich in potassium, iron, and folate weren’t enough, they are also cholesterol free, low in fat, and full of vitamins and minerals.

Legumes are perfect winter survival food. The combination of legumes with grains or even a small amount of animal protein, like milk, eggs or fish, creates a healthy form of protein.

The classic French dish called cassoulet is cooked for hours in a low temperature oven allowing the beans and meats to come together while creating the crusty crust. There are many different variations of the traditional cassoulet but the basics are all the same. Use the best ingredients that you can find. Try cooking the beans from scratch; it makes a great base for flavor. Use as much or as little meat as you wish. I’ve seen it made with smoked tofu for a vegetarian dish.

With minimal effort you can learn some of the basics by trying this recipe. Remember to use all of your senses and pay attention to each step. You will make a stock to use with the beans during the final stage of cooking.

This dish is fun to make, especially during the cold winter months. So put a pot of beans on! (If you are a more advanced cook, try the recipe in the Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook.)

INGREDIENTS
• 4 cups cooked white beans
• sausage in casings
• chicken thighs or duck confit
• pork ribs
• garlic 5-6 cloves, chopped
• 1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 loaf Artisanal bread
• Bread crumbsDay 1

1. Soak two cups of white beans. Any dry white bean will work fine. I used small white beans for this recipe.
2. Preheat oven to 375°.
3. Take the crust off of the bread.
4. Cut the bread into sizes suitable for your food processor.
5. Process until the bread is broken up into crumbs.
These are ‘fresh’ breadcrumbs. Do not use the dry bread crumbs that come in a can. Fresh crumbs help to create the delicious crust, a must for a successful dish.
6. Toss the crumbs with olive oil.
7. Pour the crumbs onto a sheet pan in one layer.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every five minutes. The crumbs are ready when they start to feel like they are drying out and they may have a little color to them.
9. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Day 2
1. Drain the soaked beans.
2. Put the beans in a heavy bottom pot and cover with plenty of water.
3. Add 1/2 an onion, 1/2 a carrot, a half stalk of celery, and a bay leaf.
4. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat so the beans are simmering. Make sure the beans have enough water to cook in. Add more water if needed.
NOTE: The only way to know when the beans are cooked through is to taste a few throughout the cooking time. Look for a few beans to be broken when they are cooked thoroughly; they will be soft and creamy on the inside.
5. Add one tablespoon of kosher salt to the beans.
The bean cooking liquid should taste slightly salty, like the sea. Let cool and refrigerate over night.

Day 3
1. Cook the garlic in 1/4 cup olive oil over low heat.
2. When it starts to bubble turn off the heat and add a pinch of chili flake. It’s important to watch the garlic, making sure it cooks slowly without coloring.
3. Drain the beans, reserving the liquid.
4. Remove the vegetables and transfer the beans to a bowl.
5. Add the garlic, chili, olive oil mixture, chopped parsley, and thyme.
6. Stir in enough of the reserved bean liquid to make the beans fairly loose.
7. Season the meats you have chosen with salt and pepper. No need to season the sausage or duck confit if you are using it.
8. Brown the sausage, chicken, and pork.
Use a hot pan with a little olive oil to create nice caramelization without cooking it through.
9. Add the meat to the bean mixture and stir to combine.
10. Pour this into a heavy casserole, saving room for the crumb crust on top.
11. Cover the top with plenty of bread crumbs.
12. Bake in a 300° oven for 2-3 hours.
NOTE: It’s very important to baby sit the cassoulet. Take a peek every half-hour or so. Look for the beans to start bubbling and the crumbs to brown evenly. Make sure the beans do not dry out, a little of the reserved bean liquid will do the trick. Pour it right on top. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the crumbs if they are browning too quickly, remember the dish needs to cook for roughly two hours.
13. Allow the dish to set at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. °

Beverly cooked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA, and was also Barry Bonds’ private chef. Email her at beverly@110mag.com