Cassoulet

by Tom Ashworth

10 servings

Day One: Soak and Cure

• 900 gdried Tarbais, cannellini or other runner-type white beans
• 675 gfresh ham hock with its skin
• 450 gboneless pork shoulder
• 350 gfresh pork skin with a 6 mm layer of hard fat
• 3.5 mlflaky sea salt
• black pepper, about ten grinds

Day Two: Pork and Bean Ragout

• 75 grendered duck fat
• 450 gyellow onions
• 350 gsmall carrots
• 225 gpiece of ventrèche or pancetta
• 1 headhead of garlic
• 1large plum tomato
• 4 sprigsflat leaf parsley
• 3 stalkssmall celery ribs
• 2 sprigsthyme
• 1 leafTurkish bay leaf
• 2 llightly salted chicken stock

Day Three: Assemble and Bake

• 6confit duck legs, homemade or store-bought
• 115 gpork fatback
• 4 clovessmall garlic cloves
• 450 gToulouse sausages, or other mild, fresh garlicky pork sausages
• 30 mlfresh bread crumbs
• 30 mlwalnut oil