Duck Cassoulet
A cassoulet is an Occitan dish–that part of Southern France where they speak a beautiful and fading romance language, Occitan.
It is a stew of beans and meat; sometimes pork, sometimes goose, or mutton or whatever else they please. It is hearty and traditionally cooked in a cassole, a deep earthenware pot with slanted sides.
But since I am not Occitan, but me, I cooked mine in a skillet.
I had returned from a morning of duck hunting in New Orleans with a few ducks and coot, and had visions of cassoulet. I wanted mostly to include it in my next book as a recipe. And so I took all of the big gizzards of the coot and their muscular legs, and the tiny legs of the teal and with some salt, star anise, orange peel and a good dose of duck fat, I turned them into a confit.
Once I had a pile of confit meat the next day, I combined them with some caramelized pearl onions, some homemade bacon, white beans, rosemary and other aromatic bits and finished it all with some breadcrumbs.
The result was quite lovely. It was a baked stew of sorts, in the French style, and makes use of all of the duck parts–slightly set; warm, chewy, soft, and a bit custardy.
My favorite thing about this dish is that the meal is cooked and served in the same skillet. The recipe suggests duck leg confit, but the gizzards, hearts and other offal can be confited and used here as well. Be sure not to add much if any salt to this recipe, since the confit already has plenty of salt from the cure.
Ingredients Instructions Notes Tip for onions: soak them in a bowl of warm water. When you’re ready to peel, use a small knife and cut a slit down the side, then peel the skin back around the onion in one layer. *Can be cooked in a casserole or other pan that can be transferred to stove. Skillets work best because the ingredients don’t need to be transferred and the dish can be served tableside.
While visiting my dad yesterday he mad me his version of a Philly-Steak Sandwich. Instead of traditional steak, he used marinated duck meat that he had cut into pieces. He layered it on a hoagie roll with sauteed peppers, onions and a slice of pepper jack cheese and broiled it till the cheese melted and the hoagie roll was browned. Oh my goodness it was amazing!!! He loves to make duck stew as well!!
I grew up eating all kinds of wild game and loving it. Elk is by far my fave!! Unfortunately my hubby doesn’t hunt or fish )C: so when I get to have wild game, it is a real treat!!
Wow, that sandwich description made me salivate! Maybe one day you can foray out into the wild and bring home an elk ; ) It’s one of my favorites too.
I just discovered you blog and am loving it! Im going to try the Fruit Leather that was featured on Tasty Kitchen very soon.
Your not you…. LOL gosh
Hi Candie, nice to “meet” you : )