It's Monday, and yep, it's raining. So you know my hair is a disaster. But unlike Karen Carpenter, I'm not down (or dead), I'm hungry (too soon?)! Time to make a cozy, yummy pot of stove top cassoulet.
I got the recipe from a magazine, after falling in love with a delicious bowl of cassoulet that I had in Carcassonne, France, when I was visiting my friend/sorority sister/also learned math from Jan, Kim (Koral!). This one is easier, I am assuming, and is made without lamb. Or veal. Or anything else I don't eat. For the record, that list consists of lamb (You might as well eat a baby harp seal), veal (I will eat the hell out of an old cow, though) and venison.
I digress. This recipe has chicken and smoked sausage. I joked with my friend Paige that it was kind of like a French jambalaya, since they both have onion, green pepper, chicken and sausage, and you cook them in the same order. Just substitute beans for rice and ... NO. It's not, Michelle.
OK.
Any-who, here are my ingredients.
I shopped from memory, and I forgot I needed a can of diced tomatoes. Luckily, I bought tomatoes for salad, so fresh instead of canned!! Since I use the turkey sausage, I got the bacon for added fat when browning the sausage, and for another layer of flavor. And, it's bacon, so what am I explaining it to you for?
On a side note, Kroger is selling wine for $2.97. Like their very own version of Two-Buck Chuck. I got the Chardonnay. It's better than you would expect it to be for $2.97. Buzzing on a budget!!
There is a lot of chopping to be done, (You have to do your prep work before you even turn on the stove!), so I don my fancy apron (Yep, I'm that official. Or messy. Either way, it's adorable. Anthropologie, on sale.)
I enjoy the whole process of chopping ingredients. No SmartChopper cheater thing for me. Although, sometimes when chopping onions, I feel like they look like they were chopped by that idiot woman in the chopper commercial, just hacking away at them randomly with a steak knife. I have nice knives and I try to get everything uniform in size. Perhaps it's rebellion from the times my grandfather yelled at us while we chopped up veggies for the chowder. "Is that a dice? Is this potato piece the same size as this potato piece?" ARGH!!! Make it stop!!
Or I could just need knife lessons. That's it. I need to chop onions like Meryl Streep in "Julie and Julia" until I'm perfect at it. Or, I could just cut them how I like. No one is here to tell me I'm wrong.
Although knife lessons would be a nice gift, if someone wanted to get me a present. (I'd also love a bunch of cutting boards. Different ones for veggies, for meats, etc...)
Here it is, the results of my hard, overly critical of myself, chopping skills.
There are a few cloves of garlic in with the green pepper and onion. The recipe calls for one clove, but really, why add one little clove when you can add three nice sized cloves? I'm in charge here, after all. (The fancy plate has two strips of bacon, cut into "sticks," or lardons.)
NOW it's time to take out my fancy Le Creuset Dutch oven, and in goes the sausage and bacon to brown. Take it out, and put in the chicken to brown. Take that out and put in the onion, pepper and garlic to sautee. Then you add the sausage and chicken back in, and toss in the tomatoes too, along with a bay leaf (I used two, they are so small!) and a teaspoon of thyme.
Now, it says to bring it to a boil, and simmer covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bring WHAT to a boil, you might think. OK, that is what I thought. I splashed in some chicken broth, slapped on the cover and lowered the heat.
It really does generate some liquid in there. But, then you add in two cans of Great Northern beans, undrained, and 1/4 cup of chicken broth.
Wait, let's get a better angle...
Look at that gorgeous Dutch oven. Chef Daniel Boulud has the same color as I do. I'm just saying.
OK, 10 more minutes of a covered simmer, and.....
Dinner is served. In a word, Yum.
And here it is, the "I love a rainy night just like Eddie Rabbit" play list:
Dreaming OMD ("It seems that I've been looking for something that won't be found")
Don't Change INXS (Again, I miss that sexy freak!!)
Hanging on the Telephone Blondie ("Oh why can't we talk again...")
Pink Cashmere Prince
Hot Thing Prince ("lookin' 4 big fun...")
Toy Soldiers Martika
Watching the Northern Lights Barenaked Ladies
Frankie & Sue Darden Smith ("Susie went to China, oh... broke Frankie's heart..")
It Would Take a Strong, Strong Man Rick Astley (I love a good Rick roll)
Sweet Child O' Mine Guns N Roses
Telescope Graham Colton ("You're in my telescope, don't want to get too close...")
Not Coming Home Maroon 5
Shiver Maroon 5
Wake Up Call Maroon 5 (Three in a row. Really?!?!?)
In My Room Yaz
Tiny Little Song Barenaked Ladies ("Hey I'm a cow, I'm curious. Hey watch me now, I'm furious.")
What You Feel Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Yep. I have the songs from the musical "Once More With Feeling" episode on my iPod. Deal with it.)
Wish You Were Kate Voegele ("I'm still in love with who I wish you were.")
Gold Lion Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Tears are Falling KISS
A Winter's Tale Queen (They recorded this album "Made in Heaven," in France, when Freddie was sick. It's amazing.)
Dizzy Miss Lizzy The Beatles (Tell me they weren't influenced by American rock and roll)
Cuts Like a Knife Bryan Adams
Dark Road Annie Lennox (I love her.)
Don't Ask Me Why Billy Joel
Take it Outside Barenaked Ladies
As George Michael and Mary J. Blige ("Do you know that true love asks for nothing..")
Night Moves Marilyn Martin
Bull in a China Shop Barenaked Ladies
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