Cassoulet: All of the Best Ingredients are Here

In November I prepare a family meal for the occasion of my husband's birthday; I always take menu cues from the weather. Coming out of another glorious St Martin’s summer, the late fall days before our gathering snapped chilly fingers and spat precipitous mix - I decided on cassoulet. Less than two degrees longitude between the origin of this French comfort dish, Languedoc, and my home in the mid-Hudson Valley, and with all the necessary ingredients available from local farms here, I began to compare recipes. 

As many variations exist as there are villages and small cities in region of origin; depending on locale cassoulet may contain heavier proportions of duck, goose, pork or mutton. I recall the first time I tasted the dish, a cold damp day at Tavern in Garrison. A savory medley of slowly cooked gamey and herbaceous notes, in most delicious thick and bright broth with a velvety finish of perfectly cooked beans. Completely memorable, filed away for another such day.

After the digital hunt and consultation of my own cookbook collection, I was hardly satisfied - disoriented by the different directions for what I thought was a straightforward peasant dish. Time ticking away on my prep days, I found the special section from the New York Times I had been saving (“The New Essentials of French Cooking,” February 19, 2017) hiding behind my other books and would like to extend a virtual hug to Melissa Clark. (The recipe was updated recently and can be found online https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018520-melissa-clarks-cassoulet).

Start by making your duck confit a day to two in advance, and a day or two before that smother it in herbs. I cut lavender, rosemary, and thyme from my garden just before the first frost. At Taste NY market at Todd Hill, I source duck legs and duck breast from Joyce Quattro -- you can also buy it directly from her store on Route 44 in Pleasant Valley (Quattro's Farm Store), where it is raised.

If you enjoy a journey for ingredients, then venture into Sullivan County, where you can find very high quality cured pork at La Salumina https://www.lasaluminany.com/ in Hurleyville, or try a mid-Hudson outlet at Terra Ridge Farm in Gardiner; there is a small take out farm store here https://www.terraridgefarmny.com/ and some of Terra Ridge pork is processed at Salumina if the fat content is right. You will need some pancetta or bacon to line your casole or Dutch oven.

Now, most recipes I came across will tell you to use Kielbasa because it is highly unlikely you will ever find the traditional French garlic sausage, the signature of authentic cassoulet. I am proud to inform you that Taste NY Market at Todd Hill carries this exact ingredient! Jack at Jacuterie blends nutmeg and pepper with garlic and red wine in perfect balance, classically inspired by flavors of Toulouse. https://www.jacuterie.com/sausage

Melding the information of so many recipes in my research, one point stood out to me: The more gelatinous the stock you use, the more likely the cassoulet will form is signature crusty top. This is achieved throughout the slow braising process -- cracking the solid layer that emerges when the starch of the bean liquid emulsifies with the gelatin particles of marrow in the stock; keep this end in mind when preparing your own stock. I did follow Ms. Clark's recipe as most others also suggested – topping the layers with breadcrumbs.

I caution: Do not overdo this last step - if you have a sturdy stock, let the liquids and low heat make magic happen. Also, soak the pancetta or bacon first, to reduce the salt content; the dish may suffer from oversaltiness. The use of herbs cannot be overstated. Layer them in fresh or dried at every stage.

In the end - it was as scrumptious as I had hoped. The broth was aromatic, earthy and delicious. The chunks of lamb melted in our mouths; the duck was tender, firm and full of flavor. We lapped it up with crusty bread and alternated bites with leafy greens tossed in a sharp Sherry shallot vinaigrette that sliced through the rich meaty cassoulet. Served with a lovely medium bodied red wine, a European style Syrah (as Syrah is a key variety of the Languedoc, along with Grenache and Mourvèdre) from White Cliff Winery in Gardiner https://www.whitecliffwine.com/buying-whitecliff-wine-online/?model_number=Syrah, or another regional favorite, Hunt County Red from Millbrook Vineyards. https://shop.millbrookwine.com/SHOP.AMS?LEVEL=BOT&PART=M23HC7NNY

Soon again we transition from our white blanket winter to spring. Cassoulet is the perfect dish as we brace ourselves in the fringe of inclement weather; it is not ironic that the Times planted the idea of cassoulet just before the flux of spring...

Sourcing the ingredients from New York State farms and enjoying the preparation and the meal with loved ones is the means to the end. The animal proteins mentioned in this blog can be sourced at the Taste NY Market at Todd Hill for your convenience and gastronomical enjoyment that supports agriculture and viticulture in our bountiful valley.