
It’s true that cassoulet originated in Castelnaudary. But Toulouse remains one of its proudest representatives. As proof, the pink city is home to the restaurant where the world’s best cassoulet is eaten. And every year, a giantbanquet is dedicated to it! Confit duck legs, Toulouse sausages and beans of course… Do your shopping and we’ll give you the recipe for cassoulet from the world champion cassoulet chef!
Make Chez Émile’s cassoulet recipe at home
In a report for the France Télévisions program “Météo à la carte”, chef Christophe Fasan – world cassoulet champion in 2017 – shares his tips and tricks for making his recipe. Tasted by former president Jacques-Chirac on a visit to Toulouse for the inauguration of the Airbus A380 in 2005, cassoulet has a long-standing reputation. For those who don’t like to cook, you can find chef Christophe Fasan’s cassoulet in his famous Chez Émile restaurant for €26. For the rest of you, don your aprons – here’s the recipe.
Ingredients for a good cassoulet:
– 600 g beans (Castelnaudary ingots, to be soaked the day before)
– 400 g pork loin
– 150 g bacon rind (some to be mixed with 4 garlic cloves)
– 1 pork trotter
– Duck fat
– 500 g Toulouse sausage
– 2 onions
– 1 carrot
– 1 bouquet garni
– cloves
– 1 tablespoon tomato paste
– 3 duck legs confit
Preparation:
- Drain the beans, soaked the day before. Cook them in a large pot of water. Add an onion studded with cloves, a bouquet garni, a carrot and a tablespoon of the bacon mixture blended with garlic.
- At the same time, blanch a pig’s trotter and some diced rind in another large saucepan. Once the water has come to the boil, you can drain your pig’s trotter and bacon and add them to the beans.
- While the beans are cooking, brown the diced pork loin in duck fat. Brown it for a few minutes, then add a chopped onion and a tablespoon of tomato paste to the same pan. At the end of cooking, deglaze with a little of the bean cooking water.
- Place your Toulouse sausage in a dish with a little water and roast in the oven. As soon as it’s colored, you can take it out. In a terracotta cassole, essential for a good cassoulet, assemble all the elements of the recipe. Bake in a 130° oven for 2? hours.
Chef Christophe Fasan’s tip: leave the cassole to rest overnight before reheating it with a leg of duck confit! As he himself says, “reheated dishes are the best”. Bon appétit!