Make a rich, slow-cooked bean casserole.
Ingredients
- 450 g salt pork (trimmed of any excess fat and cut into 2.5cm/1" pieces)
- 450 g dried white haricot beans (soaked overnight and well drained)
- 450 g pork sausages (cut into 2.5cm/1" pieces)
- bouquet garni (consisting of 4 sprigs parsley, 1 spray of thyme and 1 bay leaf, tied together)
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 8 grindings black pepper
- for the beurre de gascogne:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 75 g butter
- 1 tsp made mustard
- 2 tblsp chopped parsley
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).
- Put the salt pork and beans in a medium-sized ovenproof casserole.
- Pour enough boiling water into the casserole just to cover the pork and beans.
- Add the bouquet garni and put on the lid.
- Place the casserole in the oven and cook for 3 hours, or until the beans are tender.
- Remove from the oven and season with the salt (if necessary) and the pepper.
- Stir the sausage pieces into the pork and bean mixture and return the casserole to the oven for a further 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Beurre de Gascogne.
- Half fill a small saucepan with water.
- Add the salt and place the pan over high heat.
- Bring the water to the boil, add the garlic cloves and boil them for 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic cloves to a small bowl.
- Using a fork, mash the garlic with the butter to a smooth paste.
- Stir in the mustard and parsley.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, strain off most of the liquid and remove and discard the bouquet garni.
- Stir in the Beurre de Gascogne and serve immediately.
