Ingredients

250g cannellini beans, soaked overnight in 3 times the water
120g pork fat
2 whole white onions, diced
1 dried bay leaf
400g smoked pork hocks, crosscut about 5cm
60g Duck Dat
40g pancetta, diced 1cm
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
250g tomato passata
50g tomato paste
1 lt luv-a-duck duck stock
1 bouquet garni, 2 bay leaves, 1 bunch parsley stalks, ½ bunch thyme, ½ bunch sage *see note
4 Luv-a-Duck Confit Duck Legs
4 good quality pork sausages, (preferably a Toulouse style)
60g fresh breadcrumbs, toasted till golden brown
½ bunch parsley, chopped finely

Method

1. To prep the pork hocks, place them in a baking tray – that will fit in your fridge – and season them with salt. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
2. In the morning blot the hocks dry.
3. To cook the beans, place them in a medium size pot and add the dried bay leaf, pork fat and ½ a white onion. Cover with cold water, enough to cover. NOTE: You want this to be an absorption style of cooking so that the beans take in all the flavour from the pork fat and bay and you don’t end up throwing the liquid away with all that flavour!
4. Bring up to the boil, then turn down to a simmer.
5. Allow to cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. This process may take a little longer, keep an eye on them and cook until tender and they retain their shape. If they need a topping up of water do so, just always to cover.
6. To cook the hocks, place a large heavy based pot on the stove and bring up to heat. Add half of the duck fat and as much of the hock as will fit in a single layer. Brown evenly on all sides. If you have more, repeat this process again. At this stage, brown off the sausages as well, just to obtain colour on the outside just to seal them.
7. Transfer them all to a plate and wipe out the pot with some paper towel. Add the remaining of the duck fat then add the pancetta, the remaining 1 ½ diced onion, carrot and garlic, sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent.
8. Season with salt then add the tomato paste and cook out. Add the passata, duck stock, bouquet garni, hock, sausages and all resting juices. Bring to a simmer and adjust seasoning if necessary.
9. Cover, turn down the heat to low and cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the meat is tender and falls apart. Take off the heat and at this point add the cooked beans. Check seasoning at this point and adjust.
10. For the duck legs, cook in the oven according to the instructions on the packet. 
11. To assemble, serve in a large dish arrange the cassoulet on the bottom and place the duck legs on top. Sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs and parsley.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Ian Curley

Chef’s Tips

Bouquet garni: a bundle of herbs usually tied together with string and mainly used to prepare soup, stock, and various stews. The bouquet is cooked with the other ingredients, but is removed prior to consumption.

LUV to Help You

Duck Fat: The Facts

Duck Fat - Ideas for Use

Duck Fat - How to Render