Recipes

Anthony Bourdain inspired cassoulet (serves 4–6)

Hearty, rustic and unapologetically indulgent, this Anthony Bourdain inspired cassoulet is a tribute to classic French comfort food. Brimming with confit duck, pork belly, quality sausages and creamy white beans, it’s gently simmered with aromatic herbs and finished with a golden, herby breadcrumb crust. Serving 4–6, this slow-cooked one-pot dish delivers rich, layered flavours and satisfying textures in every bite. Ideal for a cosy weekend meal, it’s best served straight from the oven with crusty bread or a heritage tomato salad – perfect for anyone wanting to channel Bourdain’s fearless, no-nonsense approach to food.

Ingredients

Meats:

• • 2 confit duck legs
• • 300g cooked pork belly, skin reserved
• • 3 good-quality sausages (e.g. Toulouse or Cumberland)

Vegetables & aromatics:

• • 2 tbsp olive oil
• • 2 shallots, finely diced
• • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• • 1 sprig rosemary
• • Sea salt, to taste

Herb breadcrumb crust:

• • 3 slices of stale white bread (or 120g), torn
• • A small handful fresh basil leaves (or parsley if preferred)

Stock & beans:

• • 500ml pork stock (or chicken stock)
• • 400g cooked white beans (e.g. cannellini or haricot)

Bouquet Garni:

• • 2 sprigs thyme
• • 2 bay leaves
• • A few parsley stalks
    (Tie in muslin or bundle with string for easy removal)

Method

1. Prepare the flavour base

• • Preheat oven to 170°C (fan 150°C) / Gas Mark 3.
• • In a large, oven-safe pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
• • Add diced shallots and a good pinch of sea salt. Sauté gently until soft and translucent (5-7 minutes).
• • Add the chopped garlic and rosemary, cook for 1-2 minutes more.

2. Make the herb breadcrumbs

• • In a food processor, blitz the stale bread with basil until you have rough green breadcrumbs. Set aside.

3. Prep the pork belly & sausages

• • Remove the skin from the pork belly and score it lightly.
• • Add the pork skin to the pan with the shallots to crisp slightly and infuse flavour.
• • Brown the pork belly pieces in the same pan to develop colour. Remove and set aside.
• • Brown the sausages briefly for added depth (optional but recommended).

4. Assemble the Cassoulet

• • Return pork belly and sausages to the pan.
• • Add the cooked white beans and bouquet garni.
• • Pour over enough stock to just cover the ingredients.
• • Simmer gently on the hob for about 20 minutes.

5. Oven bake

• • Scatter the herb breadcrumb mix over the top, trying to avoid covering the sausages fully.
• • Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

6. Serve

• • Remove bouquet garni.
• • For easier serving, portion the duck legs, pork belly (cut skin-side down first for a clean slice), and sausages.
• • Serve this Anthony Bourdain inspired cassoulet hot, directly from the pan with crusty bread or a heritage tomato salad.

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