Chicken And Bean Cassoulet Recipes

WEEKDAY CASSOULET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse and dry the chicken well and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• In a large Dutch oven, over medium-low heat, add the bacon and slowly render the fat. Remove the bacon to a plate when crispy, leaving the fat in the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, skin side down. Brown the chicken on both sides and then remove to a plate. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce by half. Stir in the beans, bay leaf and thyme. Nestle the chicken thighs and bacon into the pot. Add the chicken stock, cover and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the lid and top the cassoulet with sliced tomatoes and the Garlic Bread Crumbs. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer. Serve the cassoulet with baguette slices.
• In a small saute pan over low heat, add the oil and the garlic. Stir until the oil is fragrant, about 1 minute. Toss in the bread crumbs and cook until the bread crumbs start to turn golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from heat.

CHICKEN AND BEAN CASSOULET

Steps:

• heat oil in an ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken wih salt and pepper.
• Working in batches, brown chicken on all sides, and remove to a plate.
• Add the bacon, onion, carrots, garlic and herb paste to the pan. Sauté for 10 minutes or until softened.
• Add the chicken, beans, tomatoes, broth and half the parsley. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Divide evenly between two 12-cup foil pans.
• If serving right away, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

BEAN CASSOULET WITH FENNEL SPICED CHICKEN AND ROASTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Trim the Brussel sprouts by removing the tough outer leaves and stems. Halve lengthwise. Cook the Brussel sprouts in a cast iron casserole or oven-proof skillet in boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Peel the onion, cut through the stem into 6 equal wedges, and trim any ragged tops. Wipe dry the casserole dish and heat 1/4 cup oil in it. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onions. While the onions are cooking, halve the parsnips lengthwise, then in bite-size wedges and add to the onions. While the parsnips and onions are cooking, cut the carrots and celery in the same manner as the parsnips and add to the vegetables already cooking in the casserole dish. Continue cooking the vegetables until lightly browned on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes, turning as needed. Add the cooked Brussels sprouts to the dish. Season with salt, to taste. Cook until all the vegetables are well browned, about 10 minutes, turning as needed. Remove the vegetables to a bowl and season with 2 tablespoons of Fennel Spice Rub to coat. Remove the vegetables from the casserole dish and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut the chicken into bone-in serving pieces (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, and 8 half pieces of breast). Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil in the casserole dish over high heat. Season the chicken pieces well on both sides with the remaining Fennel Spice Rub. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken pieces skin side down, in batches if necessary. Cook until the chicken is dark brown on all sides, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish. Tilt the pan and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and pancetta, and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the beans and their liquid into the casserole dish with the pancetta. Bring to a simmer. Add the reserved vegetables and the chicken, skin side up. Roast, uncovered, until the chicken is fully cooked and the surface is nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving warm.
• Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.
• Pour the seeds into a blender and add the salt. Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

CHICKEN CASSOULET

Steps:

• Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skillet with an ovenproof handle, over high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to med-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and add it to the skillet, skin side down; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Turn the chicken and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned.
• Meanwhile, finely chop the onion (about 1 C). Finely chop the rosemary (about 1 1/2 t) and the thyme (about 1 1/2 t). Combine the rosemary and thyme in a bowl. Press the garlic (about 1 T plus 1 t) into the bowl. Rinse and drain the beans then mash 1 C of the beans into a separate small bowl with a fork.Set the rest of the whole beans aside. Cut the kielbasa in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1/2 inch thick pieces.
• Remove the chicken to a plate and drain off all but 1 T of the fat from the skillet. Reduce heat to med-low and add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or until it has softened. Add the herb and garlic mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and simmer over low heat until it has reduced by half.
• Return the chicken to the skillet along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Add the kielbasa, chicken stock, both the mashed beans and the whole beans and the mustard. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken has just cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, preheat the broiler.
• Toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 T olive oil. Remove the lid from the skillet and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top. Put the skillet under the broiler, about 4 inches from the heat source, and broil for 45 to 60 seconds, or until the crumbs are golden. When you serve the cassoulet, sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs over each serving.