Canadian Cassoulet

By JimMac

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried Great Northern or navy beans
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 onion
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 slab bacon (unsliced)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• bouquet garni (thyme/peppercorns/celery seeds/bay leaf)
• 3/4 lb. boneless pork, cut in 1-1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound lamb or chicken, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 t each salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 lb. kielbasa, cut in 1/2-inch thick slices

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Method:

Cover dried beans with 3 times their volume of water and let stand for 8 hours or overnight. Drain. Push cloves into onion, place in large saucepan along with beans, stock, water, bacon, garlic and bouquet garni. Bring to boil and skim off any foam. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Remove bacon and cut into 4 pieces; set aside. Discard bouquet garni and onion.

Sprinkle pork or lamp with salt and pepper. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook pork and lamb/chicken for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned. With slotted spoon, remove meat and set aside. Add chopped onion to skillet; cook for 2 minutes or until tender.


Add reserved cooking liquid, tomato sauce and reserved pork and lamb/chicken, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain and reserve cooking liquid, adding enough water, if necessary, to make 2 cups.


In 20 cup casserole or Dutch oven, spread one third of the beans. Top with pork and lamb/chicken, then one third of the beans, then kielbasa and bacon. Cover with remaining beans.


Pour in reserved cooking liquid. Bake uncovered in 350˚F oven for 1-1/2 hours or until bubbly but still fairly liquid (add more water, if necessary).


For a crusty topping, add 1-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs, tossed with 2 T butter about 45 minutes before end of baking time.