Cassoulet tonight

1. Please tell us how you make your confit.
2. Beef stock, heavens, does not go into cassoulet.
3. What are the various other goodies
4. Did you cook in a crockpot? If so, how long? If not, at what temp, and
how long?
5. How did you prepare the mandatory breadcrumbs, from scratch[and how?], or
from a box?
6. How many times did you break the top and "rebread" the top?
Thanks for all
Kent
"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Work being slow, I devoted the day to making a traditional French
cassoulet, sitting in the oven as I write. Pork loin, lamb shoulder, duck
confit, and sausage, all baking with white beans, salt pork, onions,
garlic, beef stock, garlic, and various other goodies. To be served with a
baguette and a green salad. Merlot to drink. Hardly a low fat meal! A lot
of work but truly one of the Best Things.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

Peter Aitken said:

Work being slow, I devoted the day to making a traditional French cassoulet,
sitting in the oven as I write. Pork loin, lamb shoulder, duck confit, and
sausage, all baking with white beans, salt pork, onions, garlic, beef stock,
garlic, and various other goodies. To be served with a baguette and a green
salad. Merlot to drink. Hardly a low fat meal! A lot of work but truly one
of the Best Things.

Ah! Working through the Ruhlman cookbook? I've never had a proper
cassoulet. Let us know ho it turns out.

modom

"Kent" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

1. Please tell us how you make your confit.

Following the directions in the cookbook Charcuterie.

Quoted message said:

2. Beef stock, heavens, does not go into cassoulet.

Heavens, according to Julia Child it does.

Quoted message said:

3. What are the various other goodies

Sausage, lamb shoulder, pork loin.

Quoted message said:

4. Did you cook in a crockpot? If so, how long? If not, at what temp, and
how long?

Oven at 375 for about an hour. Crock pot would not be good, not hot enough.

Quoted message said:

5. How did you prepare the mandatory breadcrumbs, from scratch[and how?],
or from a box?

Store-bought dry breadcrumbs moistened with duck fat.

Quoted message said:

6. How many times did you break the top and "rebread" the top?

The top did not work that well - never really crusted. I think my casserole
pan was too deep.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

"modom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Aitken said:

Work being slow, I devoted the day to making a traditional French
cassoulet,
sitting in the oven as I write. Pork loin, lamb shoulder, duck confit, and
sausage, all baking with white beans, salt pork, onions, garlic, beef
stock,
garlic, and various other goodies. To be served with a baguette and a
green
salad. Merlot to drink. Hardly a low fat meal! A lot of work but truly one
of the Best Things.

Ah! Working through the Ruhlman cookbook? I've never had a proper
cassoulet. Let us know ho it turns out.

modom

I sort of followed Julia's recipe. It was great except that the top did not
crust as it should have.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

Peter Aitken said:

I sort of followed Julia's recipe. It was great except that the top did not
crust as it should have.

Personally, I wouldn't care. A breadcrumb crust leaves me cold. Do
you find that cassolulet is like pasta? I think it's even better the
next day.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Peter Aitken said:

"Kent" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

1. Please tell us how you make your confit.

Following the directions in the cookbook Charcuterie.

Quoted message said:

2. Beef stock, heavens, does not go into cassoulet.

Heavens, according to Julia Child it does.

Quoted message said:

3. What are the various other goodies

Sausage, lamb shoulder, pork loin.

Quoted message said:

4. Did you cook in a crockpot? If so, how long? If not, at what temp, and
how long?

Oven at 375 for about an hour. Crock pot would not be good, not hot enough.

Umm. Since there's water in the pot, there's not the slightest chance
that the temperature in there could be as high as 212 F *no matter how
hot the oven is*, and due to evaporation, it's certainly a bit less.

Now, isn't that just about the temperature inside a crockpot? I know
that mine can make the contents boil.

So what's the difference?

Personally, I think there's not any, as far as cooking what's in the pot
is concerned.

Isaac

"Isaac Wingfield" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Peter Aitken said:

"Kent" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

1. Please tell us how you make your confit.

Following the directions in the cookbook Charcuterie.

Quoted message said:

2. Beef stock, heavens, does not go into cassoulet.

Heavens, according to Julia Child it does.

Quoted message said:

3. What are the various other goodies

Sausage, lamb shoulder, pork loin.

Quoted message said:

4. Did you cook in a crockpot? If so, how long? If not, at what temp,
and
how long?

Oven at 375 for about an hour. Crock pot would not be good, not hot
enough.

Umm. Since there's water in the pot, there's not the slightest chance
that the temperature in there could be as high as 212 F *no matter how
hot the oven is*, and due to evaporation, it's certainly a bit less.

Now, isn't that just about the temperature inside a crockpot? I know
that mine can make the contents boil.

The differences are (1) in the oven, the air is well above 212 permitting
the formation of the top crust which is, in a traditional cassoulet, broken
once or twice during cooking, pushed down into the beans, and allowed to
reform, and (2) The dish simmers quite rapidly in the oven, evaporating
liquid and concentrating the flavors.

--
Peter Aitken

In article <[email hidden]>,

Peter Aitken said:

"Isaac Wingfield" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Peter Aitken said:

"Kent" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> 1. Please tell us how you make your confit.

Following the directions in the cookbook Charcuterie.

> 2. Beef stock, heavens, does not go into cassoulet.

Heavens, according to Julia Child it does.

> 3. What are the various other goodies

Sausage, lamb shoulder, pork loin.

> 4. Did you cook in a crockpot? If so, how long? If not, at what temp,
> and
> how long?

Oven at 375 for about an hour. Crock pot would not be good, not hot
enough.

Umm. Since there's water in the pot, there's not the slightest chance
that the temperature in there could be as high as 212 F *no matter how
hot the oven is*, and due to evaporation, it's certainly a bit less.

Now, isn't that just about the temperature inside a crockpot? I know
that mine can make the contents boil.

The differences are (1) in the oven, the air is well above 212 permitting
the formation of the top crust which is, in a traditional cassoulet, broken
once or twice during cooking, pushed down into the beans, and allowed to
reform

Thank you; I didn't know that.

Isaac