Issue Date: September 18, 2005
Casserole for a crowd
From Pam Anderson's new cookbook, this hearty meats-and-beans dish is a delicious centerpiece for a fall dinner with friends.
SHARING A MEAL with friends can be very satisfying, so why does it cause a lot of stress for some people? It's the fear we don't have the time or skill to pull off a dinner that'll be good enough. That's why I believe it's important to stop entertaining and just have people over. When I entertain, my back arches, and I start making lists. When I have people over, I relax and have a good time, from preparation to party.
That's why I wrote "Perfect Recipes for Having People Over" (Houghton Mifflin, $35), which features flexible recipes for main courses and then a guide for what else to serve.
One big centerpiece dish that's perfect for a fall or winter buffet is cassoulet, a hearty French stew of beans, lamb or pork, sausages and roast duck breast (rather than the traditional labor-intensive duck confit). You can even substitute pre-roasted duck -- check Asian markets or restaurants and food warehouses, and remove the skin and bones. Still no luck? Use boneless skin-on chicken thighs. All the meats are in bite-sized chunks, ideal when you're balancing a plate on your lap. The only accompaniment this substantial dish needs is a mixed green salad and bread.
While classic cassoulet means two to three days of labor, my version offers wonderful variety without the extreme time commitment. The recipe may look long, but I've made it -- from start to finish and in double this quantity -- the very afternoon of a dinner party. It can be made up to three days ahead without the bread crumbs or frozen up to three months (reheat the stew on the stovetop before adding the crumb topping and baking it). So give it a try!
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My Simplified Cassoulet
3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (or a combination of lamb and boneless pork shoulder roast)
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
Salt and black pepper
1 pound mild Italian sausages
1 cup water for sausages
1/2 pound smoked cooked sausages (like kielbasa), cut into 6 pieces
4 boneless duck breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds total weight)
1 14.6-ounce can chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup full-bodied dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
2 large onions, cut into medium dice
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, minced
2 tsps. dried thyme
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
6 16-ounce cans white beans, drained (about 9 cups)
3 cups fresh bread crumbs (process sliced bread in a food processor or blender)
3 Tbs. butter, melted
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
Place lamb cubes in a bowl. Drizzle with 2 Tbs. oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, turning to coat.
Place Italian sausages, 1 cup water and remaining 1 Tb. oil in a large, heavy roasting pan set over two burners. Cover with heavy-duty foil and turn heat to medium-high. Cook until sausages lose their raw color, about 5 minutes. Remove foil (reserve it) and continue to cook until water evaporates. Add smoked sausages and cook, turning frequently, until all sausages are browned, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate. When cool enough to handle, cut Italian sausages into bite-sized chunks. Halve smoked sausages lengthwise. Set aside.
Generously sprinkle duck breasts with salt and pepper. Reduce heat under roasting pan and add duck, skin side down. Cook until fat has rendered and skin is mahogany brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
Turn duck breasts over and continue to cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Remove duck from pan. Drain fat from pan and reserve. Slice each breast crosswise into 4 pieces. Set aside.
Return roasting pan to medium-high heat. Add lamb cubes and cook, turning once, until a brown crust forms on two sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer lamb to a large ovenproof pot with lid; set roasting pan aside. Add broth, 2 cups water and wine to lamb and cover with reserved foil, pressing down so that it almost touches meat, then sealing foil around top of pot, leaving a small opening for steam to escape. Bring to a simmer, and simmer for a few minutes to burn off alcohol.
Seal foil completely, then cover pot with lid. Bake, without checking pot, for 1 hour and 15 minutes; meat will be very tender.
Meanwhile, reheat roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add enough reserved duck fat or olive oil to pan to equal 2 Tbs. Add onions and garlic, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add prosciutto and thyme, and sauté to blend flavors, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and beans; simmer to blend flavors, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Transfer cooked lamb and broth to roasting pan. Add the cooked duck, sausages and enough water to make a soupy, moist casserole. You can let the cassoulet mixture stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
An hour before serving, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring cassoulet to a simmer on stove.
Mix bread crumbs, melted butter and parsley, and sprinkle evenly over cassoulet. Bake until crumbs are golden and stew is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 15
Per serving: 550 calories, 36g protein, 49g carbs, 22g fat (8g saturated), 85mg cholesterol, 10g fiber, 857mg sodium.
*Want to see Pam cooking? Check usaweekend.com for cities on her current book tour.
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