This traditional French farmhouse dish, I've thickened with potatoes and baked with a crispy cheese topping
Traditionally made with Toulouse sausage, I am once again using what there is in the fridge - so say hello to the chorizo. I used floury potatoes for the topping, but also added them to the cassoulet, as they thicken it up; not necessary or traditional, but I like it! It's one of those "traditional" rural dishes that has countless variations depending on region and family tradition. So a really good one for those times you want to use up bits and pieces and make something really tasty at the same time.
INGREDIENTS
onion
diced pork (if you have stewing steak, lamb or chicken thighs, use that instead)
Toulouse sausage (I'm using chorizo)
garlic
potatoes
courgettes
haricot beans - I have cannellini and pinto
mixed fresh herbs (I used oregano, marjoram and thyme)
nutmeg
Raclette cheese - or something similar
breadcrumbs
pepper or cayenne
butter
Watch the video
METHOD
Slice the potatoes coin-thick - enough to cover your casserole dish. Cut any leftover into chunks to pop in the stew
Thickly slice the courgettes
Stuff your herbs in a muslin bag (you can get a pack of these from Amazon or whomever: they're cheap and washable). Or tie them with thread or string. As mentioned previously, this is a bouquet garni, and it saves folk picking stalks out of their food/teeth
Peel the garlic, but leave it whole
Slice the sausage into decent chunks
Slice the onion
Heat some olive oil in the pan
Add the onions, garlic and all the meat
Give it a good stir
Add the potato chunks - if you don't have any after cutting the slices for the topping, don't worry; they're not vital
REMEMBER: the potatoes you're putting in here are any leftover chunks; do NOT put in those nice slices you made!
In go the courgettes
Add the beans - not drained
Add enough hot water to just cover the contents of the pot (I pour it into the bean tins to use up any remaining goodness)
Stir well and add the bouquet garni
Bring it up to a boil them down to a simmer
Skim off any foam (sounds nicer than scum)
Cover and simmer for 1 hour
Spoon the mix into a casserole dish
Put a layer of potato slices over the dish
Drizzle some olive oil; sprinkle some nutmeg
A layer of Raclette (or something like Emmental or Gruyère)
Cover in a layer of breadcrumbs
Sprinkle with pepper (or cayenne)
Dot with butter
30 minutes at 180ºC