Here in Wisconsin, May is a beautiful month with mostly beautiful weather. That said, we are known to have some downright chilly days that remind us of the end of winter with cold rains and whipping wind. When harsh weather finds us, we respond by finding excellent comfort food. This week, we have a couple favorites that also make outstanding leftovers. Our second featured recipe is a comfort food icon - Clever Cassoulet..
I'm not gonna lie, a big part of why I love this dish is the braising step. The flavors in this dish get to spend time together in my favorite stoneware crock and I always have fantastic results that leave my kitchen smelling like the best parts of cooking. And while this recipe is not the same as the traditional recipe, making your own white beans in advance and using a combination of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and the most flavorful smoked sausage you can find will give you a lot to enjoy in this dish. If you don't have celeriac root, you can use coarsely chopped celery (1 large stalk or 2 small ones). I just adore how soft and creamy celeriac is in this dish. You can also opt to use fresh stems of herbs such as thyme and oregano in this dish. Given the time of the year in Wisconsin, they are just harder to come right now.
Serve this creamy, aromatic stew with bread, rolls, or even savory biscuits for sopping up all of the glorious juices. Any leftovers will be even better the next day. I've even had it for lunch in a hollowed out bread roll … and that's just bliss. Don't worry - warmer weather is mostly here and here to stay. But when a good chill sets in, take it as an opportunity to lean into this iconic comfort food. Enjoy!
Clever Cassoulet
- 1 lb. dried white beans
- 8 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12-16 ounces smoked sausage, cut into 2-3 inch-long pieces
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup diced celeriac root
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 2" strips about the width of a finger
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 1 tablespoon double-concentrated tomato paste (from a tube)
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 2 (about 15-ounce) cans white beans, such as Great Northern (do not drain)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning - I used Aglio Olio Seasoning Blend from Trader Joe's
Up to a week before making this dish, place the first 4 ingredients (dried beans through salt) in your Instant Pot. Secure the lid and set it to cook for 30 minutes at high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally after the cycle completes. Place the beans and the cooking liquid in a lidded container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week before you plan to make this dish.
On the day you want to make this dish, preheat the oven to 425°F. Season the chicken thighs all over with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven safe, high-sided sauté pan (at least 10 inches) or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken skin-side down. Sear undisturbed, until the skin is very crisp and deep golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate skin-side up (the chicken will not be cooked through).
Add the smoked sausage to the pan in a single layer. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes total. Reduce the heat if needed if starting to burn. Using tongs, transfer to the plate with the chicken. Note: You can pre-roast the chicken and sausage in advance if you want to speed up the day of assembly more. Refrigerate the chicken and sausage until ready to use if you opt to do that.
Add the next 4 ingredients (onion through garlic) to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens in color, about 2 minutes. Carefully pour in the dry white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Simmer until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the white beans with their cooking liquid and the Italian seasoning. Simmer until the liquid thickens slightly and the beans are well-coated, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage pieces. Turn off the heat.
Place the chicken skin-side up to a large stoneware crock or casserole dish. Carefully spoon the contents of the pan - including all of the liquid - to the stoneware crock or casserole dish, covering the chicken.
Transfer the stoneware crock or casserole to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the top of the liquid has a crust, about 30 minutes.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: About an hour, after making the beans in advance (takes about another hour, but requires only a couple of minutes of hands on time)