Resent-Message-Id: <199612172153.VAA12527@wirehead.it.hq.nasa.gov>
Date: Mon, 9 Dec 1996 11:45:24 -0500
Message-Id: <199612091645.LAA04090@synapse.gsfc.nasa.gov>
From: Steven Rezsutek <steve@synapse.gsfc.nasa.gov>
To: irene@absinthe.i3inc.com
Cc: cshenton@it.hq.nasa.gov
Subject: Cassoulet (sp?)
Resent-To: chris@i3inc.com
Resent-Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 16:53:02 -0500
Resent-From: Chris Shenton <cshenton@it.hq.nasa.gov>


Here's the basic rundown of what I made yesterday.  Being a country
dish, it is obviously quite flexible in what goes into it, with the
rough proportion of meats/beans probably being the only constant.

Note that my version yesterday came out a bit on the dry side.  It
shouldn't be a soup or anything, but there ought to be a little 
liquid remaining in the dish.  I probably could have hit the mark
on it had I pulled it out about 15 minutes sooner, or I could have
heated up some of the bean liquour to suppliment (this is actually
recommended in the recipe I first followed).  Here goes...


----------------------

The beans and stew are prepared seperately, but if you expect to eat
it the same day you are making it, they should be prepared "in
parallel".  Each take roughly 2.5 hours, and then there is an
additional 1 to 1.5 hours in the oven after assembly.


Beans:

	Bring to boil			1 qt stock
					3 qt water

	Add				1.5 lbs White (northern) beans
	
	Restore boil, then remove from heat and allow
	to stand for at least 1 hour.


	Add				1/2 lb bacon
					1 large onion, chopped

	Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for approx
	1.5 hours.

	Drain, reserving the liqour for later use.


Stew:

	To				7.5 lbs meat (approx)

		Use whatever combination suits your fancy, though
		it should be a mix of fowl, sausages, and other
		meats.  I used:

			2.25 lbs turkey (smoked/roasted)
			2 lbs sirloin tail (partially grilled)
			2 lbs keilbasa
			1 lb ham sausage
			1/2 lb pork sausage.
		
		Brown the sausage (not keilbasa!) and whatever other
		meats you choose in the bottom of the pan

	Add				4 cloves garlic, chopped


	Deglase the pan with		2 cups stock
					2 cups red wine


	Add				approx. 3 qt.(?) water
		sufficient to just barely submergee the meat

					2 Tbl. tomato paste
					4 chipotle, chopped
					big handfull of basil
					small "     "  tarragon
					a little salt (to taste)

	Bring to gentle simmer and let it go for at least 1 hr.


Assembly:

	Place				beans 
		in casserole

	Add				stew
		distributing evenly

	If necessary, add		bean liquour
		to bring the liquid level in the casserole just 
		above the solid food.


	Cover with			bread crumbs

	Bake @ 375, occationally breaking the crust with the
	back of a spoon and basting the top.  When crust is 
	deep and well browned, and there is still a bit of 
	liquid remaining, it is done.  This can take anywhere
	from 1 to 1.5 hours, so start checking at about 1 hour.
	Don't break the crust any more from this point on.


Seving:

	Place				food
		in bowl

	Eat. :-)