Winning Country Cassoulet Recipe - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 lb dried navy beans
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 lb bacon, diced
4 chicken legs (or thighs)
2 medium carrots, thick sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup canned diced tomato
1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery (with leaves)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
minced fresh parsley

Preparation

Sort beans and rinse with cold water. In a dutch oven or soup kettle, combine the beans, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; boil, uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 1 to 4 hours or until beans are softened. DO NOT DRAIN.
Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. In the same skillet, brown chicken in reserved drippings on all sides; drain and set aside.
In a 3-qt baking dish or Dutch oven, combine the beans with cooking liquid, bacon, carrots, onion, tomatoes, celery, garlic, salt, thyme, sage and pepper. Top with chicken.
Cover and bake at 350* for 1 hour. Uncover; add sausage. Bake 30-35 minutes longer or until beans are tender. Discard bay leaf. Garnish with parsley.
WINE PAIRINGS: Enjoy this recipe with a full-bodied white wine such as Chardonnay or Viognier.