Of the country-style dishes of France, I would be hard pressed to find one I more adore than Cassoulet. Heavy, loaded with cholesterol, and so rich it must be sinful, this is not a dish for the faint of heart.

Although the most traditional versions originated in Languedoc and the most famous comes specifically from Castelnaudary, the recipe below is one that I think combines the best of all those possible worlds. As to wines, this is a dish open offers a host of options. My own favorites are reds from the Cahors region of France, South African Pinotage, Cotes du Rhone Villages, and Chianti Classico Riserva. I recently dined on this dish and found that it also went quite nicely with moderately oaked Chardonnay.

Cassoulet

1 1/2 kilos small dried white haricot beans
1 kilo knockwurst style sausages
300 - 400 grams Virginia, Kentucky or Proscuitto ham, in one piece
400 grams bacon, in one piece
300 grams sharp, hard, Italian style salami
200 grams carrots, peeled
200 grams onions, peeled and halved
1 bouquet garni made by tying together 6 sprigs of thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary and 2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
4 cloves garlic
10 peppercorns, crushed coarsely
1 kilo of smoked goose breast, with fat intact, cut into large chunks
2 preserved goose legs (confit de canard), optional
1 kilo fatty lamb, cut into 8 - 10 pieces
300 grams tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
60 gr. dried white breadcrumbs

Soak the beans overnight in cold water.

In a large pot place the knockwurst, the ham, the bacon and the Italian sausage. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. As soon as the water boils, lift out the sausages and ham with a slotted spoon and place them in cold water. Let the bacon cook for 4 - 5 minutes longer and then transfer to cold water. Drain the meats and cut the bacon and raw ham into thick slices.

Drain the beans and place them in a large round iron, copper or flameproof earthenware casserole dish. Cover the beans with cold, unsalted water and then add the carrots, onions, bouquet garni, cloves, three of the garlic cloves and the peppercorns. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer very gently, skimming the surface as necessary.

Cut about 3 Tbsp. of fat from the smoked goose breast and heat the fat in a heavy skillet. In this quickly brown the lamb pieces, and then drain, discarding the fat.

When the beans have been cooking for 1 hour add the tomatoes and bacon. Add boiling water if necessary, making sure the beans are covered with liquid. After another 1/2 hour put in the lamb and continue to cook, skimming the surface from time to time. After another hour, add the remaining ingredients and then lower the flame, simmering for 30 minutes longer. If you are using the goose confit, add shred the meat and force the pieces into the center of the casserole and then simmer for 10 minutes longer.

Taste the beans, to see whether they need salt (which will probably not be necessary) and discard the bouquet garni, carrots and onions. Crush the remaining garlic clove and add to the mixture. Spread the breadcrumbs evenly on the top of the dish and transfer to an oven that has been heated to 150 degrees Celsius (300 Fahrenheit) for 45 minutes. Serve hot, directly from the casserole dish. (Serves 8 - 10).

© Daniel Rogov