Cassoulet (White bean stew with pork)

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

2 Tbs animal fat (duck, goose or pork)

5-6 15oz cans white beans (preferably Great Northern)

2-3 cups cold water

3 chicken or beef cubes

1 cup chopped onion (3/4 lb) *I blend them with the celery (fussy kids!)

3 celery stocks, chopped

3 large cloves chopped garlic

3 fresh thyme sprigs

1 Tbs herb de provence

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (14-oz) can stewed tomatoes, crushed, puréed or finely chopped with juice

1 lb cooked pork kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices

1 ham hock

1 1/2 pd of pork (country style ribs work great with or without bones)

Preparation

In a big casserole dish or dutch oven type pan brown the pork in the animal grease, push it to the side, brown the onion and celery. Add all the other ingredients. Cover. let simmer for at least an 1 1/2 hour to 2 h. Salt and pepper to taste. May need to add water if too thick.

Variations

You can transfer it to a baking dish, sprincle with bread crums and brown under the broiler... also you can add confit duck in it, but it is expensive and is a lot of work! There are receipies out there that take a lot of steps and times and are probably better, but this is pretty good with not a lot of work... to go even faster I have my onion and celery prechopped and frozen in a baggy! :)

Could add a little white wine?

Great with a crispy French bagette!