In this video, I put my head on the chopping block, adapt to my circumstances, and call it good enough after four attempts.

CASSOULET FOR NORTH AMERICANS

Ingredients
• ½ lb dry white Tarbais/Lingot, cannellini, or kidney beans (about 1 ¼ cups)
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking soda
• Plenty of chicken & vegetable stock
• 4 oz (125g) bacon, minced
• 2 duck leg confits, with thighs and drumsticks separated from each other
• 2 Toulouse sausages (total: ½ lb) or any garlic & fine herb sausages
• 1 small/medium onion, minced
• 45 garlic cloves, very finely minced
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley and/or Herbes de Provence
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 whole cloves (clou de girofle)
• Pork rind (optional) cut into thick strips
• Salt & pepper

Preparation (Serves 4)
1. Quicksoak the beans: place in a pot with thrice its volume in water, add the baking soda, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Let rest for 1 hour in the hot water.
2. Cook the bacon and the sausages in any fat, in a very wide pot or highwalled pan until crispy or browned on all sides. Remove, and set aside. Cut the meat in half so each guest has ½ sausage and ½ duck leg to eat. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
3. Cook the onion, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, until soft.
4. Work in the pork rind pieces so they sit at the bottom and will be completely submerged.
5. Add the beans, the chicken stock, the garlic, and the herbs. Add the bay leaf and clove, wrapped in some cheesecloth for easy removal later. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook on low heat until the beans are almost tender, but still a little crunchy (about 45 minutes.) Discard the bay leaf and cloves.
6. Preheat the oven to 300F.
7. Add the meat. The beans should be almost completely submerged; adjust liquid as necessary. The meat should lightly protrude up top whenever possible, space allowing.
8. Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered, and cook for 23 hours. Check up on the dish every 30 minutes, and lightly push down on the thin crust/film that forms on top to break and submerge it. Carefully adjust liquid to keep the beans mostly covered.

0:00 Intro
1:33 Ingredients
5:38 Chicken & Veggie Stock (Optional)
8:20 Cooking The Beans
12:33 Final Assembly & Cruise Control