Toulouse Sausage–Stuffed Duck Legs with White Beans
On my brief sojourn in the Toulouse area, I traveled to many local villages and towns acclaimed for their charcuterie. Among them was Castelnaudary, a small village built of stone, close by the fairy-tale-like medieval castle of Carcassonne. The castle was a thrill; even more so was the cassoulet I enjoyed in Castelnaudary, known as the cradle of cassoulet. I mustered the nerve to ask the chef what his secret was. He graciously shared his version of “the cassoulet secret”: The kind of beans you use is crucial. They should be lingot beans, also called white kidney beans or cannellini beans, or coco beans, which resemble slightly elongated navy beans. Both are sweetly buttery and cook up soft and tender enough to soak up juices, but still hold their shape. Then, the beans must be allowed to cool completely in their cooking liquid before assembling the cassoulet. Overnight is best. Stuffed whole duck legs (drumstick and thigh combination) make a delectable sausage star for a faux cassoulet. To sidestep the lengthy process of curing the duck overnight then braising it in duck fat to make confit, the whole legs are sprinkled with a salt and herb seasoning and refrigerated for a few hours to allow the seasonings to imbue. The sausage is then stuffed under the thigh skin, making a single package of sausage and duck meat.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the duck, mix together the coarse salt, thyme, juniper, and pepper in a small bowl. Place the duck pieces in a nonreactive container large enough to hold them in a single, tightly packed layer. Spread the salt mixture over the duck and turn the duck to coat on both sides. Loosely cover with plastic wrap, place a weight of some sort on top, and refrigerate for 3 or 4 hours.
Step 2
To prepare the beans, first presoak them using the quick-soak method: Place in a large pot with water to cover generously and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let stand for 1 to 2 hours. To cook the beans, drain and rinse them and return them to the pot. Add water to cover generously and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. (The beans can also be cooked in a pressure cooker without presoaking. Place in the pressure cooker with water to cover by 1 1/2 inches, cook for 35 to 40 minutes after coming to pressure, then let stand for 10 minutes to allow the beans to finish cooking as the pressure subsides.) Stir in the kosher salt, and let cool completely in the liquid, preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.
Step 3
When ready to cook the cassoulet, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 4
Rinse the duck legs and pat them dry. Using your fingers and a paring knife, lift up the thigh skin on each leg and stuff the sausage between the skin and meat, dividing the sausage evenly among the legs.
Step 5
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, add the duck legs, skin side down, and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
Step 6
Drain the cooled beans and transfer them to a baking dish large enough to hold the duck pieces in a single, tightly packed layer. Add the broth and tomato paste to the beans and stir to mix. Set the duck pieces on the beans, cover the dish, and bake until the juices are bubbling and the duck is beginning to turn golden around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 7
Uncover the dish and sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly across the top. Continue baking, uncovered, until the duck is golden on top and the bread crumbs are well toasted, 15 to 20 minutes. If the crumbs start to burn, ladle some of the juice from the dish over them. Serve piping hot.
