Traditional French Cassoulet

Winter Vegetable Soup

The Recipes!

French Cassoulet

This recipe feeds 8 hungry people! Or freeze part of it for quick meals during the week and simply microwave it. Or, reduce all parts of the recipe to half for a smaller meal.

~ 2 lbs of boneless,skinless chicken thighs
~ 1 small boneless pork shoulder, about 5 lbs
(you can use a bone in, just trim out bone and trim to about 5 lbs
~ 2 Lbs of two different types of sausage, preferably brat worst and sweet or hot Italian sausage.
~ 2 cans of white beans
~ 4 leeks, trimmed to white portion, washed and diced
~ 1 1/2 lbs of small mushrooms, or quartered large
~ 2 cup of port wine (or any red)
~ 1 sprig of rosemary (or a tablespoon of dried)
~ a small bunch of thyme sprigs (or a tablespoon of dried)
~ 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
~ 1 tablespoon of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of fresh cracked pepper

Pre heat oven to 375.
Saute chopped leeks in 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in covered pan, stirring occasionally. When translucent, add mushrooms and cover cooking 5 minutes on a low heat. Set aside when done.
In a Large dutch oven (like the one I used in my video) place 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the pot on a medium flame. Brown sausage, then remove. Brown chicken and remove also.
Place 2 cups of wine in dutch oven and scrape off bits at the the bottom. Place pork shoulder whole or diced into large (2 inch pieces) in pan, layer leek and mushrooms, sausage and chicken all around pork (mixed in with pork if it is chopped). Add salt, pepper and herbs. Cook on stove top on a low to medium heat for 1/2 hour, covered.
Place in oven for 1 hour, covered. Add 2 cans of drained white beans, cover and cook and additional hour.

The Winter Vegetable Rice soup!

Remember, this is not a definite recipe, but a template for creativity.
Place 10 cups of water in a pan and add a ham bone (optional if vegetarian). Cook on low to medium heat, covered for 1/2 hour. Add vegetables such as canned tomatoes (1-2cans), 1 Lb of frozen chopped spinach, and 1 lb of any other vegetable(s) in your fridge. Add two chopped onions. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Add 1 cup of whole grain rice, taste broth for salt and pepper and add as necessary. If using tomatoes in your recipe, you will have to add brown sugar to counter the acidity – again to taste. By the way, I left the ham bone in the whole time and took it out at the end!