Brothy beans and tender meats in a big pot, but not traditional.

Ingredients

• Half a pound of dried beans (cassoulet, cannellini, or other large white bean)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2-3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 5 or 6 cloves of garlic, finely diced (or about 2 tbsp of minced garlic)
• Half a pound of sausage (usually a garlicky pork or beef sausage), casing removed and cut into 1” pieces
• 2 pounds (ish?) of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or quarters (maybe 4-6 thighs)
• 6-8 ounces of bacon (or pork belly) cut into small pieces
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 2 packets of unflavored gelatin
• 0.25 cups of white wine
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• A pinch of ground cloves

Directions

1. The day before, soak the beans with plenty of water, some salt, and about a quarter teaspoon of baking soda.
2. Dry the chicken with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
3. Chop all of the veggies or pulse in a food processor real fast. Combine the carrots, celery, and onion in one bowl. Put the garlic in another. Prepare the chicken broth by warming and stirring in gelatin.
4. Put a small dollop of fat (duck fat, rendered bacon fat, lard, butter, etc.) in a dutch oven. Start over medium heat. Cook the bacon until fat rendered and it’s crispy. Take the bacon out and set aside. Cook chicken, skin-side down, for 8-ish minutes, then flip to brown a little on the other side. Take the chicken out, then do the same for the sausage. Take the browned sausage out and set aside. Remove all but a tablespoon or two of fat.
5. Add veggies and stir. Add a splash or two of white wine. Continue cooking until the veggies start to brown. Add garlic.
6. Drain and rinse the beans, then add to the pot. Add the parsley, bay leaves, cloves, and chicken broth. Simmer for two hours or so with the lid cracked, until the beans are cooked through.
7. Preheat oven to 300°F. Stir the sausage and bacon back in, then add the chicken to the pot skin-side up.
8. Bake uncovered, adding water every so often to keep the beans covered, for a couple hours. Pot should be deeply browned, beans and meat tender, and the veggies have fallen apart in the broth. Serve with some crusty bread if you want.

Notes

• Modified from Serious Eats recipe for cassoulet.
• Duck confit and duck fat is traditionally used, but hard to find. Turkey legs work well too.
• Don’t make it hard. It’s beans and meats and some veggies in a brown broth.
• Baking soda and extra soak and cook time on dried beans needed for altitude adjustments.
• A bouquet garni (fresh herbs) is an easy upgrade if you have fresh herbs available.