Mamie's Food

Alas to summer and picnics in the park, autumn is definitely here. With the turn of the season comes a yearning for warm, cosy dinners that nurture your body and soul, and this cassoulet does exactly that. Traditionally, cassoulet is made with duck legs and no tomatoes but I think they add a bit of sweetness. Making good chicken stock or buying a high quality brand from the supermarket will really enhance the meaty flavour and using up old wine is great for adding acidity. 

Ingredients

Serves 3-4

2 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 sticks of celery, diced
2 brown onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, diced
few sprigs of rosemary and thyme
2 bay leaves
6 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 packet lardons
4 chicken thighs
1.2 litres of chicken stock
700g jar of butter beans, drained
300ml white wine
1 star anise, ground
Chopped parsley

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil in a deep ovenproof pan and add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic.
3. Add a big pinch of salt along with the rosemary, thyme and and bay.
4. Sweat, covered, until everything starts to break down, around 15 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook until slightly caramelised.
6. In the meantime, fry off the lardons in a frying pan until the fat is rendered and golden brown.
7. Once cooked, add to the vegetables, deglaze the pan and pour in the extra juices.
8. Brown the chicken thighs skin side down in the same frying pan as the lardons for around 10 minutes or until the skin is golden and crispy.
9. Add the chicken to the pan along with the chicken stock, butter beans, wine and star anise and bring to the boil.
10. Once boiling, turn off the heat and cook in the oven for 1 1/2- 2 hours, until the liquid has thickened and the chicken falls off the bone. If the liquid is too thin take the lid off to help reduce it.
11. Serve with chunky bread and chopped parsley.