This dish confirms the old adage of 'good things come to those who wait'. I have always found the slower you make a classic cassoulet, the better the results.
This dish is the perfect activity for a rainy weekend, and will certainly reward for all your patience.
Add the bacon to a casserole dish and start to render the fat. Fry the duck legs in the fat and once browned all over set aside. Do the same with the diced pork shoulder. Then add the sausages to the pan and brown all over. Set aside all the browned meat.
Chop the onion and garlic and add to the pan. Cook down for a good ten minutes, until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree and a little water then simmer for about 20 minutes, until you have a rich thick sauce.
Add the beans to the sauce with a little water and check the seasoning. Then add all the meat, except the sausages pressing them into the beans. Dollop in a couple of spoons of fat, sprinkle over a few of the breadcrumbs and then add the pot to a preheated oven set to 150C.
Cook for about 2 hours, checking occasionally to see if a golden crust has formed. Once formed break it up with a spoon and add more breadcrumbs and fat. Do this two or three times, if the mixture becomes a little dry just add more water. On your final layer of breadcrumbs press in the sausages and cook until the top has become beautifully golden.
Serve with a light salad to cut through the rich hearty stew.
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