12422 Confit of Toulouse Sausages and Duck Cooked with Red Wine-Flavored Beans Serves 6 to 8 Wed Aug 06 01:06:49 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 04 04:02:56 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12422 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:02:56 GMT Madiran is a “Big” red wine, deep in flavor and very dark in color. It is like a full-bodied hearty Syrah from the Rhône Valley or an earthy, old-vines Zinfandel. Although you may have heard that beans should not be cooked in wine or, for that matter, in any other acid, this unusual recipe given to me by André Daguin exploits that prohibition to great advantage. The beans cook very slowly and absorb the flavor of the wine, which loses its acidity on account of the long cooking, becoming mellow by the time the dish is fully cooked.

Be sure to note that the beans must soak overnight before you begin the recipe. A dish like this is better prepared ahead and reheated.

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  • Put the beans in a large pot and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water. Let soak overnight.
  • Remove the confit from the refrigerator and let stand in a warm place to allow the fat to soften while you cook the beans.
  • In a 5-quart flameproof, nonreactive casserole, heat 1½ tablespoons of the duck fat from the confit. When very hot, add the chopped onions and whole garlic cloves. Stir in the tomato paste until the onions and garlic are a uniform pink color, then add the red wine and herb bouquet. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to moderately low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, drain the beans and put them in a saucepan with enough tepid water to cover. Slowly bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. In another saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Drain the beans and immediately add to the simmering red wine. Pour in the boiling stock. Simmer, skimming, for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 275°F. Soften the pork rind by simmering in water for 10 minutes. Drain, roll up, and tie with a string. Add to the beans.
  • Cover the casserole tightly and place in the oven. Bake for 3½ hours, or until the beans are tender and the wine has lost its acid taste. Season with salt and pepper.
  • In a medium skillet, cook the baby white onions in ½ cup water, covered, until almost tender, 6 minutes. Add the sugar and 1 teaspoon duck confit fat. Continue cooking over moderately high heat, stirring often, until all the water has evaporated and the onions begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • Pull the confit meat off the bone. Discard the skin and any gristle. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Cut the Toulouse sausage into 1-inch lengths.
  • Raise the oven temperature to 350°F. To assemble the dish, remove the pork rind from the beans, cut into 2-inch pieces, and use to line a 3½-quart casserole, fat side down. Using a slotted spoon, cover with half the beans. Scatter the duck confit and sausage pieces over the beans. Spoon the baby onions on top. Add another layer of beans. Scatter any leftover pieces of pork rind on top. Pour the bean cooking liquid over all.
  • Return the dish to oven and bake, basting 3 or 4 times with the remaining ¼ cup duck confit fat, until the top crust becomes a beautiful mahogany brown, about 45 minutes. Serve directly from the dish.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main 1 pound dried white beans such as Tarbais, Lingots, or cannellini, rinsed and picked over to remove any grit

    ]]>     6 pieces confit of Pekin or Muscovy duck (such as Duck Legs Confit Cooked in a Pouch, pages 198–200)

    ]]>     ⅓ cup confit of duck fat or rendered duck fat

    ]]>     1 medium onions, chopped

    ]]>     6 garlic cloves, peeled

    ]]>     2 teaspoons tomato paste

    ]]>     4 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Madiran, Zindandel, or Syrah

    ]]>     Herb bouquet: 3 sprigs parsley, 1 sprig thyme, and 1 imported bay leaf tied together with string

    ]]>     4 cups unsalted chicken stock (storebought or homemade—page 405)

    ]]>     8 ounces unsmoked pork rind (can be cut from salt pork or fatback) or Confit of Pork Rinds (page 17)

    ]]>     Salt and freshly ground pepper

    ]]>     12 baby white onions (about ½ pound), peeled

    ]]>     1 tablespoon sugar

    ]]>     ½ recipe Confit of Toulouse Sausages (page 298)

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