Quick and Hearty Cassoulet
By: Zareen
Published: Wednesday, October 6, 2010 - 7:27am

Ingredients




2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 pound Keilbasa- sliced in ¾ inch chunks
1 pound Chicken Thighs
2 medium Onions- chopped
2 medium Carrots- chopped
2 stalks Celery- Chopped
3 large Garlic Cloves- minced
2 Bay Leaves
2 stalks Thyme
8 oz. White Wine
28 ounces Chicken Broth
14 oz. chopped Tomatoes in Juices (recommended Pomi)
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
ounce cans Northern Beans- drained and rinsed
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Fresh Parsley Bread Crumbs:
 of a loaf of Crusty French Bread- roughly chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley- chopped
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Preparation

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2 Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven (I used my Le Creuset 5 1/2 Quart Braiser) over medium-high heat. 3 Brown keilbasa. 4 Once browned remove to a plate. 5 Rinse, pat dry and season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. 6 Add to oil in pot and brown on all sides. 7 Remove to plate with keilbasa. 8 Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves and thyme to pot and cook over medium-low heat until soft. 9 Increase heat to medium-high and add in white wine, de-glazing the pot, and then simmer for 2 minutes. 10 Add in chicken broth, tomatoes with juices and stir in tomato paste. 11 Bring to a boil. 12 Add back in chicken and keilbasa. 13 Add in beans and bring back to a boil. 14 Cover and place in oven. Cook in oven 25 minutes. 15 Make breadcrumbs. 16 Once 25 minutes have passed, remove lid. Top evenly with breadcrumbs and return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes. 17 Serve with sliced fresh crusty bread. 18 Fresh Parsley Breadcrumbs: 19 Pulse bread in food processor until crumbled. 20 Add in parsley and salt and pepper to taste and pulse to combine. 21 In a bowl mix gently with olive oil.

About


Cassoulet is usually prepared with duck legs, bacon, and sausage and takes the better part of a day to prepare. I make mine with chicken thighs and keilbasa which greatly reduces the cooking time.  It is a hearty, soul warming dish perfect for a chilly, rainy fall night. For a French Bistro supper start with some store bought pate and toast points and enjoy with some crusty bread and a nice red wine. Finish off the meal with an easy Tarte Tatin.