By Brandon McDearis
The hearty, slow-cooked dish known as cassoulet may be the ultimate one-pot meal. Originating in southwestern France, and named after its cooking vessel, the deep round earthenware pot known as the cassole, cassoulet has traditionally been prepared by slow stewing beans with a variety of pork and duck products. However, this version substitutes the meat for additional vegetables, which not only provides for a much lighter and healthier meal, but also greatly reduces the long cooking time that is generally required. This recipe serves 8.
Ingredients:
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 medium zucchini, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 3 14-oz cans chickpeas
• 1 28-oz can stewed tomatoes
• 1 14-oz can vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Dash of hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
• Saute vegetables in olive oil at medium-high heat in a large soup pot for 5-10 minutes until soft and translucent.
• Add the white wine and cook down until most of the liquid is evaporated.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Adjust seasoning as needed and serve.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 180 / Fat: 4g / Saturated Fat: 1g / Carbohydrates: 33g / Fiber: 7g / Protein: 5g
# # #
Brandon McDearis is a personal chef working in the Charlotte area. He currently owns and operates Your Way Cuisine, www.yourwaycuisine.com. In addition to his culinary training, Brandon holds a bachelor of science degree in foods and nutrition, with a concentration in dietetics. He primarily focuses on healthy cooking and addressing specific dietary needs of everyone from professional and amateur athletes to busy families and elderly people. Brandon is also one of the board of directors for Wellspring International Outreach (www.wellspring-outreach.org) and works with a group of others to raise money for the abandoned children of Peru.
THE CASSOULET
The cassoulet is one of the most iconic and cherished dishes of southwest France. Originally a food of peasants, legend has it that the first cassoulet was made during the siege of Castelnaudary by Edward the Prince of Wales in 1355 during the Hundred Years’ War. The besieged townspeople gathered up all their remaining food to create a big stew cooked in a cauldron to nourish and bolster their defenders. The meal was so hearty and fortifying that the soldiers fought off the invaders and saved the city from occupation. It’s certainly debatable whether cassoulet saved Castelnaudary, but what’s not debatable is that a dish with a legend behind it is a dish to try!
Most every cassoulet recipe calls for a variety of meats like pork, sausage, duck confit, and even gizzards all cooked together with white beans for a long time. But exactly what types of meat and other ingredients is the source of much debate, especially in France. As such, the French approach cassoulet cooking much as Americans do cooking chili, holding competitions for the best cassoulet. It should be no surprise, then, that to make a cassoulet without meat would stir the same ire of traditionalists that Texans experience when they discover there’s no meat in your chili.
The chickpea cassoulet recipe with its variety of vegetables results in just as rich and heavy a dish as traditional cassoulet, and like it, it is best enjoyed in cold weather, with a group of family or friends. Part of the magic of the dish is the simple preparation and the conviviality that seems always to surround it at the table – because it’s impossible to make just a little cassoulet, so you will definitely need to invite some friends for dinner! The satisfying flavors are best complemented by a deep red wine and a thick slice of country-style bread.
