White Bean Cassoulet

Recipe courtesy Lisa Garza

Show: The Next Food Network StarEpisode: Vegas Throwdown

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (36)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(36)

Cook Time:
55 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 55 min
Total:: 1 hr 15 min

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Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
10 cloves garlic, diced
1 medium white onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 herb bouquet tied with kitchen string: 4 stems fresh rosemary, 8 stems fresh oregano, 10 stems fresh thyme
1 dried bay leaf
2 cans cannellini beans, or 3 cups prepared white beans
2 quarts chicken stock
4 links spicy cooked chicken Italian sausage, sliced, recipe follows
1/2 cup Spinach Pesto, recipe follows
Garlic-Parmesan Crostini, recipe follows

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium stock pot. Add the vegetables to the oil, stir frequently, and cook until lightly brown around the edges. Add remaining ingredients, except sausage, 1 at a time. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in sausage and allow to cook for 10 more minutes. Place in bowls, spoon 1 tablespoon of pesto and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sausage into each bowl. Serve with Garlic-Parmesan Crostini.

Sauted Italian Sausage:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 spicy chicken Italian sausage

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the sausage with salt, to taste, and carefully place in a single layer across the skillet. Cook the sausage for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat or until browned. Turn the sausages and repeat on opposite side. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch slices.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Spinach Pesto:

1/2 pound spinach leaves
5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Yield: 3 to 4 cups

Garlic Parmesan Crostini:

1/2 cup olive oil
1 French style baguette, cut into 24 (1/2-inch thick) slices
10 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat. Brush the garlic oil on the top and bottom of each slice of bread. Place the bread in a single layer over a sheet pan. Sprinkle each slice with parmesan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on the middle oven rack until bread browns over the top. Serve.

Yield: 24 slices

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Comments & Reviews

recipe White Bean Cassoulet
Bernadette Calistoga, CA 11-06-2009
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I'd make it again and again
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I loved this recipe, but like others reduced the oil and chicken stock. I used about 1/4 cup oil, perhaps less( I don't... measure much) and I used 1 box of chicken stock. I did use all the garlic and did not find it overpowering at all. Then I made my own sausage from lean pork loin to cut down on the fat. The herbs were a mixture of fresh and dry since I didn't want to go to the store. I put them in cheesecloth for easy removal and included the bay leaf in my herb packet too. Next time, I shall use more beans, but again, I didn't measure and used dried beans that I cooked early in the day. All in all, this was a perfect recipe for a rainny day when you have time to let it cook.Read more
recipe White Bean Cassoulet
NICOLE sacramento, CA 06-01-2009
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Would not make again
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

It took me a long time to try this even though it looked great on the original next network star episode. When I first read... the recipe it was apparent that it had too much oil, stock and herbs for the amount of beans. That was echoed by most reviewers and was easy to remedy, but we did not care for the combination of herbs or the pesto in this. ( I did make basil pesto not spinach because of the abundance of basil in my backyard, maybe spinach would have been better) My husband doctored his by adding Cholula sauce directly to his bowl and I also found it helped this tremendously. If I tried this again I would use milder herbs and a bit of hot sauce for heat. Read more
recipe White Bean Cassoulet
Rochelle Chula Vista, CA 01-29-2009
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Good
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I liked this recipe. I would reduce the amount of chicken stock to create for of a stew consistency. It was easy to make... and very tasty. I will make it again. Very creative as well. Good recipe.Read more
recipe White Bean Cassoulet
C Iowa City, IA 01-25-2009
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Wonderful mix of flavors, too much broth
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I give this five stars with the caveat that the broth needs to be cut in half. The herb mix is fantastic. I'd love to try... it with the duck confit... Have made it with both spinach and with basil pesto to top, and I actually like the basil pesto a bit more. I also added a bit more salt. Thank you, Lisa. Read more
recipe White Bean Cassoulet
Eric Evanston, IL 01-17-2009
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5 stars for flavor 3 stars for recipie proportions, so 4 stars overall
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

The flavors of this were fabulous and make me want to prepare this dish again. I will reduce the stock to one and a half... quarts, cut the oil in half, and add a third can of beans. I'll also wrap the herbs in cheesecloth or muslin to keep woody chunks from disintegrating into the dish. The pesto--which my wife thinks "made the dish" makes at least twice as much as is needed. The recipie takes more time to prepare than indicated, but it's not a weeknight 'fix after getting home from work' meal anyway. For all the flaws in writing out the proportions of the recipie, it still makes a very satisfying and tastebud rewarding meal.Read more
recipe White Bean Cassoulet
Jane Tampa, FL 12-01-2008
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Fast and easy cassoulet
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Thanks Lisa for a great recipe. Would like to have seem what you would have cooked had you won! Aaron's food is good but... nothing special. You seem to think outside the box. This cassoulet is quick and easy and delicious! Yes, the recipe does call for a lot of garlic but I cut back the first time I made it because it just seemed like too much for my taste. As far as the stock goes I just added enough to cover adding more as necessary to end up with a stew like consistency. The more you cook the easier it is to make these type of adjustments. The flavors of this dish are great and it doesn't taste like a canned bean dish. I use hot Italian chicken sausage cooked on the grill then slice it and add to the cassoulet. The pesto is a wonderful flavor addition. Yum!Read more