Turkey Cassoulet
Cassoulet is an iconic dish of Southern France. It’s peasant comfort food, made from whatever ingredients happened to be around—white beans, pork, sausage, slow cooked fowl (a confit if you’re feeling fancy)—and that’s where the arguing begins. Ingredients vary from town to town, and each is convinced that its particular combination is the best.
Cassoulet has a reputation for being difficult to make because of all the steps you might have to take to prepare its many possible ingredients. It couldn’t be simpler, actually, and lends itself well to having its ingredients made ahead and assembled in advance of cooking. In fact, we think it tastes better a day or two after preparation, so savor those leftovers!
Ingredients
Directions
Pick over beans to remove any stones or debris and rinse. Soak beans overnight in enough cold water to cover them plus 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
Drain beans, rinse, and transfer to a large pot. Add fresh cold water to cover them by three inches plus the bay leaf. Bring rapidly to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until tender but still toothsome (don’t cook them to mush!)—around 45-60 minutes. Add one teaspoon of salt and stir. Let beans cool in the cooking liquid.
Beans can be prepared up to two days in advance of assembling the cassoulet—just refrigerate them in their liquid. Drain before assembling cassoulet.
If you’re starting with raw turkey legs, season them with salt and pepper, wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Bring the legs to room temperature and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Roast legs uncovered in a shallow pan for 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to 375 degrees, add 3 cups stock, cover tightly, and continue roasting for another 60 minutes.
Remove legs from pan and cool. Reserve pan juices.
When cool, remove skin, gristle, and bone from meat. Tear the meat into rough pieces
Heat a wide heavy soup pot over medium high heat. Add sliced bacon stir, cover, and reduce heat. Cook until bacon fat renders and the bacon slice edges just begin to brown.
Add the onions, stir and cover. Cook to allow onions to soften and begin to caramelize very lightly, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
Add cayenne pepper and a few grinds of black pepper, 1-1/2 tsp. thyme, and garlic. Stir and cook until garlic begins to soften.
Add carrots and stir to coat. Cook an additional five minutes until carrots begin to soften.
Add reserved pan juices, warmed (if you’ve roasted legs) plus 2 cups of hot stock, or 4 cups of hot stock. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add beans and gently mix with the sauté above.
Add turkey. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, adding broth to keep beans a bit soupy but not liquid.
Add salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a 3 quart baking dish.
Arrange sausage slices over the top of the mixture and push down each into the beans to bury them. The mixture can be held at this point overnight before baking; aside from convenience, this allows flavors to marry, and your final cassoulet will be even more delicious.
If refrigerated, bring cassoulet to room temperature. Add stock if mixture looks dry; we typically add a cup or so at this point. The beans will continue to absorb liquid, so don't be afraid to add more.
Put bread crumbs into a small bowl and add 2 tbsp. of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. thyme, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork (or fingers), adding olive oil if necessary to coat. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the beans in an even layer, and gently push them down into the beans to bind.
Cover dish tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove foil and bake uncovered until crumbs brown and crisp—around 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Urban Legend Suggestions
Ingredients
Directions
Pick over beans to remove any stones or debris and rinse. Soak beans overnight in enough cold water to cover them plus 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
Drain beans, rinse, and transfer to a large pot. Add fresh cold water to cover them by three inches plus the bay leaf. Bring rapidly to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until tender but still toothsome (don’t cook them to mush!)—around 45-60 minutes. Add one teaspoon of salt and stir. Let beans cool in the cooking liquid.
Beans can be prepared up to two days in advance of assembling the cassoulet—just refrigerate them in their liquid. Drain before assembling cassoulet.
If you’re starting with raw turkey legs, season them with salt and pepper, wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Bring the legs to room temperature and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Roast legs uncovered in a shallow pan for 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to 375 degrees, add 3 cups stock, cover tightly, and continue roasting for another 60 minutes.
Remove legs from pan and cool. Reserve pan juices.
When cool, remove skin, gristle, and bone from meat. Tear the meat into rough pieces
Heat a wide heavy soup pot over medium high heat. Add sliced bacon stir, cover, and reduce heat. Cook until bacon fat renders and the bacon slice edges just begin to brown.
Add the onions, stir and cover. Cook to allow onions to soften and begin to caramelize very lightly, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
Add cayenne pepper and a few grinds of black pepper, 1-1/2 tsp. thyme, and garlic. Stir and cook until garlic begins to soften.
Add carrots and stir to coat. Cook an additional five minutes until carrots begin to soften.
Add reserved pan juices, warmed (if you’ve roasted legs) plus 2 cups of hot stock, or 4 cups of hot stock. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add beans and gently mix with the sauté above.
Add turkey. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, adding broth to keep beans a bit soupy but not liquid.
Add salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a 3 quart baking dish.
Arrange sausage slices over the top of the mixture and push down each into the beans to bury them. The mixture can be held at this point overnight before baking; aside from convenience, this allows flavors to marry, and your final cassoulet will be even more delicious.
If refrigerated, bring cassoulet to room temperature. Add stock if mixture looks dry; we typically add a cup or so at this point. The beans will continue to absorb liquid, so don't be afraid to add more.
Put bread crumbs into a small bowl and add 2 tbsp. of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. thyme, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork (or fingers), adding olive oil if necessary to coat. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the beans in an even layer, and gently push them down into the beans to bind.
Cover dish tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove foil and bake uncovered until crumbs brown and crisp—around 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
