Easy Cassoulet
Many recipes for this time-honored French bean dish are complicated and time consuming. This shortened version omits much of the work, but retains the good flavors of this "dinner in a dish" favorite.
1 pound Italian link sausage
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds round steak, cut into 1" cubes
1 yellow onion, halved and sliced
2 large leeks, washed and sliced (including crisp green tops)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 48-ounce jar Randall Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 10 1/2-ounce can concentrated beef broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Slice the sausage into 1/2" pieces and brown in a heavy skillet.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined dish. Pour off the sausage fat.
Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet and brown the steak pieces, stirring to brown and sear them on all sides.
Remove with slotted spoon to a side dish.
Add remaining olive oil to the skillet and quickly sauté the onion, leeks and garlic, just until leeks are wilted.
Stir together the sausage, beef, onion mixture, tomatoes, beans, carrots, thyme salt and pepper.
Pour into a 3 quart baking dish.
Stir in the beef broth and wine.
Cover and bake in a preheated 350º oven for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is fork tender.
Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.
Taste and correct the seasonings. Sprinkle with parsley.
Serve hot with crusty French bread.
10 servings.
Leeks grow in sandy soil and the sand gets trapped between the leaves. To remove it, cut the leeks 3/4's of the way through lengthwise. Hold under a stream of warm running water, pulling back the layers exposing them to the water. Soak in cool water and rinse again.