One pot dinner
This hearty meal always tastes and looks as if it takes forever to prepare. Don't fret this is a simple one-pot duck cassoulet that you can easily cook to impress guests and leave you time to entertain them. Give this super easy duck cassoulet a try instead of a roast this weekend.
We used Gressingham Duck legs here. Duck legs are ideal for slow roasting with layers of fat and tender meat. You will find Gressingham Duck for sale nationwide in major supermarkets as well as independent butchers and farm shops.
We first tried a proper cassoulet back in 2014 whilst on holiday in Carcassone, this hearty and comforting dish was perfect for the still chilly weather of our Easter break.
Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked casserole containing meat (usually pork sausages, duck and sometimes mutton)and white beans and originates in southern France. It is named after its traditional cooking earthenware dish. But don't fear, we don't like waiting around too long for food, so this is a simpler cassoulet.
Video
Ingredients
- carrots
- celery
- white beans
- Gressingham duck legs
- oil
- garlic sausage
- rosemary
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat a little oil in a casserole dish.
Sizzle the legs in the casserole dish, skin-side down, until golden brown. Turn and cook for 10-15 mins to brown them all over.
Remove the duck legs to a plate and pour away half the fat from the casserole.
Return the casserole dish to the heat and fry the carrots celery, garlic sausage and rosemary along with some seasoning until the carrots start to soften.
Sit the duck legs on top, skin-side up.
Pour water over the veg.
Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hr 30 mins.
Remove the casserole from the oven and uncover.
Turn the oven up to 200C/180C/gas 6. Lift the duck out onto a plate and stir the beans through the carrots and thyme.
Sit the duck back on top, then return to the oven, uncovered, to cook until the duck skin is crisp and the beans are simmering.
Substitutions
- chicken thighs - instead of duck legs use chicken thighs.
- vegan - use Quorn or meat-free plant-based products instead of the duck legs and garlic sausage. I would probably add a can of tinned tomatoes and 2 teaspoon smoked paprika for some depth to the flavours.
- vegetarian - use 4 garlic cloves instead of garlic sausage and add possibly kale and many more veggies
I really like the look of this vegan cassoulet from The Well Fed Yogi sounds delicious.
Recipe
Super Easy Cassoulet Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Gressingham Duck legs
- Handful of rosemary sprigs
- Oil
- 500 g carrots sliced
- 200 g garlic sausage chopped
- 2 celery sticks sliced
- 2 x 400g white beans drained
- 100 ml water
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat a little oil in a casserole dish.
- Sizzle the legs in the casserole dish, skin-side down, until golden brown. Turn and cook for 10-15 mins to brown them all over. Remove the duck legs to a plate and pour away half the fat from the casserole.
- Return the casserole dish to the heat and fry the carrots celery, garlic sausage and rosemary along with some seasoning until the carrots start to soften.
- Sit the duck legs on top, skin-side up.
- Pour water over the veg.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hr 30 mins. Remove the casserole from the oven and uncover.
- Turn the oven up to 200C/180C/gas 6. Lift the duck out onto a plate and stir the beans through the carrots and thyme. Sit the duck back on top, then return to the oven, uncovered, to cook for until the duck skin is crisp and the beans are simmering.
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