Cheers to the Publican, Repast and Present by Paul Kahan

Author:Paul Kahan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony
Published: 2017-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

Makes 10 to 12 servings

4 cups dry cannellini or tepary white beans

2 pork trotters

2 pounds pork skin

2 cloves garlic

½ cup pork fatback

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons sea salt

¼ cup duck fat

Olive oil

6 Confit Duck Legs and Ribs (recipe follows), thigh bone removed

6 toulouse or other mild, uncooked pork sausages, cut in half

1 rack pork ribs, cut into single ribs

Freshly ground black pepper

In a stockpot large enough to hold the beans as they expand by 20 percent during soaking, soak the beans in water to cover for 6 hours, or until they stop expanding, checking to make sure they are submerged in water the whole time and adding more water as needed. Do not drain the beans.

While the beans are soaking, start the cooking stock: Add the trotters and skin to a large stockpot of water over medium-high heat, and bring to a rolling boil. Continue to boil for 2 hours until the trotters are beginning to fall apart. Strain the stock, setting it aside, and pick the meat from the trotters, discarding the fat, bones, and skin. Reserve the picked trotter meat.

Place the garlic and fatback in a food processor and pulse it into a paste. Transfer to an airtight container, season generously with salt and pepper. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Bring the pot of beans and soaking water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drain the beans in a colander and discard the water. Transfer the beans to a heavy-bottom pot. Add the garlic-fat back paste and enough stock to just cover the beans. Season with the salt and, over medium-high heat, bring the liquid to a boil. Turn off the heat. The beans should be just tender, but not fully cooked or falling apart. (Adding the salt at this stage prevents the beans from getting too creamy and falling apart later.)

Now you are ready to build the cassoulet. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub the inside of a large casserole pot or high-sided ceramic baking dish with the duck fat and a thin film of olive oil. Add a scoop of beans and a ladleful of stock. Then layer in about one-third of the trotter meat, duck legs and ribs, sausage, and pork rib bones, distributing them north-south across the baking dish—this will make the cassoulet easier to serve at the table. Top the meat with another scoop of beans, just enough stock to just cover the beans, and a second layer of meats. Add another scoop of beans, stock to cover, and the remainder of the meats. Top with the remaining beans and stock to not-quite cover, reserving about 1½ to 2 quarts of stock to add while the cassoulet cooks.

Place the dish, uncovered, in the oven with a baking sheet underneath to catch any liquid that bubbles over. Cook for 4½ hours, ladling in stock every 30 minutes just to barely cover the beans. After each addition of stock, press down the crust with the back of a spoon. After a

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