Cassoulet a la Minute

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Step 2

   Cut, or have the duck cut, into serving pieces. Prepare it further by cutting away the meat from the breast bone. Cut away peripheral fat surrounding the thighs, legs and breast. Reserve enough of the fat to produce two tablespoons when finely chopped and discard the rest. Cut the boneless breast meat into 1½-inch pieces. Cut the thigh into four pieces. Cut the leg crosswise into 1½-inch lengths.

3. Step 3

   Cut the pork and lamb into one-inch cubes.

4. Step 4

   Add the chopped fat to a large, heavy skillet and cook until rendered.

5. Step 5

   Meanwhile, cut half of the sausage on the diagonal into slices measuring about ⅓-inch thick. Cut the remaining sausage into round slices of about the same thickness. Set aside.

6. Step 6

   Add the cubed duck, pork and lamb to the skillet. Cook over high heat, stirring from the bottom, until the fat is rendered from the duck pieces. Cover and cook about 12 minutes.

7. Step 7

   Spoon two tablespoons of this rendered fat into a separate skillet and add the onion and two teaspoons of the garlic. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Cook about five minutes and add the tomatoes, half of the thyme, one bay leaf, salt and pepper. Continue cooking about 10 minutes and add the beans. Add the round slices of sausage to this mixture and continue cooking 15 minutes.

8. Step 8

   Meanwhile, when the meats have cooked for about 12 minutes, reduce the heat and add the remaining garlic, thyme and bay leaf; stir. Add the wine and stir the bottom to dissolve the brown particles that cling to the pan. Reduce the heat, cover closely and continue cooking 20 minutes.

9. Step 9

   Add the bean mixture to the meat mixture and stir to blend.

10. Step 10

    Pour the cassoulet into a heat-proof baking dish (a dish measuring about 15 by 10 by 3 inches is ideal). Cover the cassoulet with a layer of diagonal sausage slices. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and melted butter.

11. Step 11

    Place in the oven and bake 10 minutes or until ready to serve.