The Friday Recipe

Sorry about limited updates, but it’s been hectic with parent/teacher conferences etc... You'll be happy to know the Pursuit daughters are apparently perfect in every way, and certain to become leading stars of the American conservative movement.

So, hows about a quick Friday recipe. It snowed here again yesterday and today it’s cold with about 2 inches on the ground. Does that say Cassoulet to you? Well it does to me. Warm, filling and delicious with a decent bottle of French wine.

I picked this recipe up off of the web a while ago, and then screwed up in reverse. I was in a hurry to get to our town's tree lighting in the afternoon, was distracted with work and made several mistakes that I think improved on the dish. Talent will find its way out, eh?

So here you go. You make, you enjoy!

Serve with something from the Rhone region, a Chatenuef de Pape would be great as would a Gigondas.



 Ingredients:

 1lb, dried great northern beans
 2.5 quarts of water
 3 pathetic store bought girly man  ham hocks, or one Nueskes hock
 3 cloves garlic, minced
 1 large onion, chopped
 4 carrots, cut in half
 4 celery stalks cut in half
 1 bay leaf
 1-2 tsp dried thyme

 Soak Beans overnight.  In the morning, boil with above ingredients for 1.5-2 hours very very slowly.  Turn off heat, let sit in water for rest of the day.  At some point cut up carrots and celery

 6-8 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
 1tsp kosher salt
 2tsp pepper
 1lb Andouille Sausage
 4-5 pork chops

 Season and Roast the Chicken at 350 for 1.5 hours.  Cool and reserve juices.  Cut up sausage into rounds, and brown reserve juices, the brown porkchops and reserve juices.

 1 large Onion
 3 Garlic cloves minced
 1c White wine
 14oz canned diced tomatoes - dont drain
 .5 tsp thyme
 ground pepper to taste
 1c bread crumbs

 Add sufficient chicken juices to cook onions, garlic until opaque.  Add wine and cook until reduced by half.  Now add tomatoes, tsp. thyme, pepper. Drain and add beans.

 Now put together.

 Put layer of beans, sausage, chic, pork and repeat until done.  Sprinkle top with fresh bread crumbs.  Bake at 325 for 1.5 hours.  Serve