Ingredients:

• 650 g dried white beans (or canned beans for a quicker version)
• 2 tins duck confit
• 3 Toulouse sausages 
• 2 slices fresh pork belly
• 2 slices smoked pork belly
• 1 large garlic sausage (cooked)
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 60 g tomato paste
• 4 cloves
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme and bay leaf)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. The day before, soak the dried beans in a large bowl of cold water overnight. (If using canned beans, simply drain and rinse them, then skip this step.)
2. The next day, drain the beans and place them in a pot with 2 peeled garlic cloves. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 35–40 minutes until tender but still firm. Drain and set aside.
3. Prepare the ingredients: slice the garlic sausage, cut the smoked pork belly into pieces, peel and chop the onion, and crush the remaining garlic cloves. Stud the onion with the cloves.
4. In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the beans with the sausage slices, smoked pork belly, garlic, onion, tomato paste, and bouquet garni. Add water to cover, stir well, and simmer gently over low heat.
5. In a separate pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and brown the fresh pork belly and Toulouse sausages until golden. Add them to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour.
6. Preheat your oven to 170°C. Place the duck confit in an oven dish with some of its fat and cook for 15–20 minutes. Halfway through, collect the rendered fat and stir it into the cassoulet.
7. Add the duck confit pieces to the pot along with a small glass of water if needed. Adjust seasoning and simmer gently for another 1 hour until rich and well combined.
8. Transfer to an oven-safe dish if needed, ensuring the meats sit on top. Bake for about 20–30 minutes until the surface forms a light golden crust.
9. Serve the cassoulet hot, directly from the dish. It pairs beautifully with a simple green salad.

Top Tip: For an authentic cassoulet texture, gently press the top layer down once or twice during oven cooking to help create that classic lightly crusted finish.

Bon appétit !