Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 Toulouse sausages
• knob of butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• finely sliced
• 150g/5½oz smoked bacon
• diced
• 1 small carrot
• finely chopped
• 1 stick celery
• finely chopped
• ¼ leek
• finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 300g/10½oz Puy lentils
• 175ml/6fl oz red wine
• 450ml/16fl oz dark veal stock
• 2 confit duck legs
• meat shredded
• 150g/5½oz smoked duck
• shredded
• 2 tbsp good sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 300g/10oz King Edward potatoes
• peeled and cut into chunks
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 110ml/3¾fl oz double cream

Directions

• For the sausage and lentil cassoulet
• first fry the sausages in the butter and oil
• until browned.
• Heat a sauté pan or a large frying pan and then add the knob of butter and two tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot
• add the onion and cook for two minutes. Add the garlic
• diced bacon
• carrot
• celery
• leek
• bay leaf and cumin and cook for a further two minutes.
• Add the lentils and red wine and bring to the boil. Cook until the volume of wine has reduced by half
• then add the stock. Place the cooked sausages
• duck and smoked duck in the pan and cook the lentils for 25-30 minutes. Mix in the sherry vinegar and parsley.
• For the pomme purée
• cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 12-15 minutes
• or until tender. Drain.
• Push the potato through a potato ricer into a saucepan. (Alternatively
• mash with a potato masher
• but the finish will not be as smooth.) Return to the heat
• then add the butter and cream and beat to a smooth purée. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in a piping bag and set aside.
• To serve
• pipe the pomme purée into shallow bowls and pour some sausage and lentil cassoulet alongside.