News, Quiet Week, Busy Week, Social Worker,

I just heard a report on the radio that they had arrested a trio of "boys", 14 16 17 I think, for bank robbery and rape??? What on earth. Apart from anything else I  thought youngsters of 14 didn't even think about girls. What kind of kids are we bringing up that they can commit such crimes, not to mention those who have committed murder - there's got to be something visibly wrong surely. Or do the adults around them just not care?

I have kind of been praying for a quiet week and this one has been exactly that. Next week things are going nutty again. I have an ultra sound and visits with doctors as I said plus we are supposed to be joining the Bowling Travel League. Not sure if we will make that as it's the same day as the ultra sound. It's either feast or famine.

Had a call from the Social Worker - she can't do much for me at the moment so she is closing my file. I know they are really busy these people, but you'd kind of think they would keep our files open at least. Not as though we are suddenly all better. Matt, of course, never will be.

One upon a time, any French housewife worth her salt would know how to cook a cassoulet. It's even mentioned in the film Gigi. Sadly I am told French girls are not learning how to cook and are becoming like the women of other countries. I remember visiting France and you could go into any small hole in the wall restaurant in any town or village and be assured of obtaining an excellent meal. I wonder how much of that is true any more. The French families I lived with all cooked wonderful meals. Memories. Alas, I have never tried making a cassoulet myself. One day perhaps. Here it is not as easy to obtain duck fat and duck leg confit although I can obtain something similar in my grocery store so I bet I can get such things either in Victoria St. Market or another deli store which I haven't been to in a while but which certainly sells everything.

Toulouse-Style Cassoulet

Although there are innumerable versions of cassoulet, most are based on a stew of white beans and

various forms of pork. The dish gets its name from the pot it's traditionally baked in, the cassole (see Note), which is often shaped like a wide inverted cone to ensure the greatest amount of luscious crust. This version includes duck confit and the French garlic sausages that are a specialty of Toulouse.

2 fresh ham hocks
1 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into
1 1/2-inch cubes
6 oz fresh pork skin with 1/4 inch of fat attached
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 lbs dried Tarbais or cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
2 oz salt pork, skin removed
1/3 cup duck fat (see Note)
3 small carrots, thinly sliced
2 medium onions, diced
1 5-ounce piece of pancetta
1 5-ounce piece of prosciutto
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, plus
4 small garlic cloves, peeled
1 large plum tomato, chopped
2 quarts plus two cups chicken broth
Bouquet garni: 4 parsley sprigs, 3 small celery ribs, 2 thyme sprigs and 1 bay leaf, tied with string
6 duck confit legs (see Note)
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 lb French-style fresh pork sausages, such as saucisses de Toulouse, pricked with a fork
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1. Put the ham hocks, pork shoulder cubes and skin in a large dish; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In a bowl, cover the beans with 3 inches of water and soak overnight.

2. The next day, in a medium saucepan, cover the salt pork and the seasoned skin with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderate heat until the skin is supple, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool. Refrigerate the salt pork. Cut the pork skin into 5 long pieces, roll each piece into a bundle and tie with string.

3. Dry the ham hocks and pork shoulder cubes with a paper towel. In a very large, enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the duck fat. Add half of the pork cubes and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned all over; transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining pork cubes. Add the ham hocks to the casserole and brown them lightly. Add the carrots and onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden, about 7 minutes. Add the pancetta and brown it lightly. Add the prosciutto, the head of garlic and the tomato and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 2 quarts of the broth, the bouquet garni, pork skin bundles and the browned pork and its juices and bring to a boil. Cover the casserole and gently simmer the ragout over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

4. Drain the beans. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with water and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer the beans for 3 minutes, then drain. Add the beans to the ragout and simmer until the beans are just tender, about 2 hours. Let the ragout cool, then refrigerate overnight.

5. Remove as much of the solidified fat as you can from the surface of the ragout; reserve 1/4 cup of the fat. Let the ragout return to room temperature. Pick out the ham hocks, pancetta and prosciutto. Cut the meats into bite-size pieces; discard the bones, skin and gristle. Pick out the pork skin bundles and the head of garlic and reserve. Discard the bouquet garni.

6. Preheat the oven to 400°. Bring the ragout to a simmer. Cut the blanched salt pork into small pieces. Squeeze the cooked garlic cloves into a food processor. Add the salt pork and the raw garlic cloves and process to a smooth paste. Stir the paste into the ragout and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in all of the cooked and cured meats.

7. Meanwhile, arrange the duck confit legs in a baking dish and roast just until heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the bones in large pieces. Cut the skin into strips. Discard the bones.

8. Turn the oven down to 325°. Untie and unroll the pork skin bundles. Line the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart earthenware casserole with the pork skin, fat side down. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer half of the ragout to the earthenware casserole. Top with the duck confit in an even layer, then cover with the rest of the ragout. Add the remaining 2 cups of broth to the cooking liquid in the cast-iron casserole and season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour the liquid over the ragout and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the reserved skimmed fat. Bake the cassoulet for 1 1/2 hours.

9. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet. Add the sausages and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over. Let cool, then cut the sausages into 3-inch pieces.

10. Reduce the oven temperature to 275°. Gently stir in the skin that has formed on the cassoulet. Nestle in the sausages and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved fat. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake the cassoulet for 1 hour longer, until it is richly browned on the surface. Transfer to a cloth-lined rack and let rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Yield: 10 to 12

Tips
The cassoulet can be prepared through Step 6 up to 3 days ahead. Let cool, then refrigerate. Bring the ragout and beans to room temperature before proceeding.

Author: Paula Wolfert
Source: Food and Wine

Author Notes
The cassole can be ordered from claycoyote.com; duck fat and confit legs from dartagnan.com; Tarbais beans and Toulouse-style sausages from frenchselections.com.

Have a great day