Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz dried white haricot beans
• 1 onion
• peeled
• 1 large carrot
• 250g/9oz piece of unsmoked bacon in the piece
• with its fat and skin
• 2-3 bay leaves
• a ham bone
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 8-10 whole
• black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp duck fat
• plus 1 tbsp for drizzling
• 500g/1lb 2oz boned pork shoulder or leg
• cubed
• 4 Toulouse sausages
• 4 chicken breasts
• sliced
• 6 thick slices corned beef
• 2 onions
• thickly sliced
• 4 fat garlic cloves
• chopped
• 3 large tomatoes
• peeled and chopped
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 pieces duck confit
• preferably legs
• 80g white breadcrumbs

Directions

• Place the beans in a deep bowl and cover them with plenty of cold water. Leave overnight to plump up.
• The next day
• drain the beans and put them in a large saucepan. Add the onion
• carrot and bacon to the pan. Tuck in the bay leaves
• the ham bone and the garlic.
• Cover completely with water and bring to the boil. Skim any froth that appears on the surface and discard it. Turn the heat down to a simmer
• cover then leave for an hour until the beans are almost tender.
• Meanwhile
• melt the duck fat in a second large lidded saucepan over a moderately high heat.
• Add the cubed pork and fry it until its edges are golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Cut the sausages in half to give eight short pieces
• then brown them in the fat as you did the pork and remove.
• Cook the sliced chicken in the same way and remove with a slotted spoon
• before doing the same with the corned beef.
• Cook the sliced onions in the duck fat for a few minutes until softenened
• but not coloured. Add the garlic and tomatoes to the pan
• along with the bay leaves.
• Return the meats to the pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil
• then simmer for about 45 minutes covered with a lid
• until the liquid comes to a stew consistency.
• Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
• Drain the beans
• reserving the cooking liquor and bacon. Discard the carrot and onion.
• Cut the pork and its rind into thick strips. Chop the bacon that was cooked with the beans. Lay the meat in the bottom of a deep earthenware or enamelled cast iron casserole and cover with some of the beans.
• Add a layer of the meat and onions
• then another of beans. Tuck the pieces of duck in among the beans
• then add more beans and meat until all is used up. Top up with any liquid from the meat and a splash of the cooking liquor from the beans.
• Top with half of the breadcrumbs and transfer to the oven; cook for an hour.
• Stir the cooked breadcrumbs into the cassoulet and top with the remaining crumbs. Drizzle a little of the bean liquor and a little more melted duck fat over the crumbs and return to the oven for a further half an hour or so
• until the crust is golden.