British pork cassoulet
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep: -
- Cook:
- Easy
- Serves 4
- 400-450g streaky steaks (strips of pork belly), rind trimmed
- 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- 400-450g pack of pork sausages(try Cumberland, garlic or sage-flavoured Lincolnshire varieties)
- 4 back baconchops, about 400g/14oz
- 400g can cannellini, haricot, butter or mixed beansdrained
- 1 large onionchopped
- 4 medium carrotsthickly sliced
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 bouquet garni'tea bag'
- about 600ml chicken stock(from a stock cube is fine)
- 25g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 garlic cloves
- kcal911
- fat60g
- saturates22g
- carbs38g
- sugars16g
- fibre8g
- protein58g
- salt7.5g
Method
step 1
Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Quickly pan-fry the strips of pork belly in the oil, followed by the sausages and back bacon chops, until well browned.
step 2
Mix together the beans, onion, garlic, carrots and tomatoes in a bowl. Starting with a spoonful of the veg, inter-layer the vegetable mix and meats in a deep braising pan (about 3 litres capacity, 7.5cm deep, preferably one that will go on top of the stove – see Gary’s tip, below). Place the bouquet garni in the centre as everything is being stacked.
step 3
Pour just enough chicken stock on top to almost cover, then bring to a simmer on top of the stove (see Gary’s tip). Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and braise in the oven for about 1hr 20- 1hr 30 mins, until the meats are all tender and the top is golden brown. If the stock reduces while braising, simply pour a little more on top to moisten. Remove from the oven and allow to settle for 5 mins before serving. (Remember to take out the bouquet garni.)