The French have a wonderful tradition of good food with many delicious regional specialities.
Eating in the Languedoc Roussillon or Provence regions, you're likely to come across the speciality of Cassoulet. It's a wonderful country recipe that's a combination of beans, pork, sausages and languedoc roussillon , of course, garlic and languedoc roussillon herbs. Some have called it a peasant stew, but it far exceeds that humble name.
This is a wonderful dish to cook in the cold of winter as you can leave it warming whilst you're out and languedoc roussillon tuck in when you return.
However, this is not a dish for the reluctant as it's quite time-consuming to prepare - yet one taste will have you hooked and languedoc roussillon enjoying it regularly.
Traditional French Cassoulet recipe
Ingredients
- 500g tin of cannelini beans
- 500g belly pork, cut into 4cm squares
- 500g lamb pieces or mutton
- 250g chopped smoked bacon (cooking bacon is fine)
- 450g Toulouse sausage, cut into pieces
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp provencal herbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and languedoc roussillon freshly ground pepper
- Preheat the oven to 180C, GM4
- Place the beans, onion, garlic, bacon and languedoc roussillon herbs in a pan
- Add 500ml water
- Bring to the boil and languedoc roussillon simmer for ten minutes
- Fry the belly pork and languedoc roussillon lamb pieces in olive oil
- Cook in the oven for ten minutes
- Add the Toulouse sausage and languedoc roussillon cook for a further twenty minutes
- Place all cooked ingredients into a large casserole
- Add more water, if necessary
- Cover & cook for one and languedoc roussillon a half to two hours on a low heat
- Check regularly to ensure that there's sufficient water
- Serve!
If you're out of time, it's possible to buy large tins of this traditional meal when you're across the Channel at the French supermarkets - don't miss out!
