Red Bean Cassoulet
with Pork Belly, Crispy Pigtails, and Green Onion Sausage
From Chef Todd Pulsinelli
Makes 8 servings
Pork Belly and Pigtail ingredients:
2 lbs. pork belly
4 pigtails
1 onion
1 rib of celery
1 carrot (peeled)
2 cups white wine
4 cups water
1/4 cup of salt (for seasoning pork belly)
1 cup buttermilk
Pork belly and Pigtail preparation:
Place salted pork belly and pigtails into medium-size roasting pan. Place chopped onion, carrot, and celery around the pork. Add white wine and water, wrap pan with plastic, then heavy-duty aluminum foil, making sure pan is completely sealed. Place in preheated 250ºF oven for 10 hours. Once pork belly and pigtails are fork tender, place pork belly onto plate and store in fridge to cool. While pigtails are still warm, cut backside of tail and remove bones. Form back into natural shape, and store in fridge until cold. Once pigtails are cold, slice into 1/2 inch medallions and place in buttermilk to marinate. Once pork belly is cold, remove skin and cut into 2 ounce cubes.
Green Onion Sausage ingredients:
2 lbs. pork butt
1.5 lbs. pork fatback
6 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp. red pepper flake
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups chopped green onions
1 tsp. toasted coriander
1 tsp. toasted fennel
1/2 cup ice water
Sausage preparation:
Dice pork and fatback together, then toss them with all of the ingredients except ice water. Place in freezer for 35 minutes. Pull from freezer and grind on medium size dice. Once ground, place mixture in mixing bowl and put in freezer for 10 minutes. Then using a paddle attachment, mix the sausage for 8 minutes with the ice water. Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Red Beans ingredients:
2 cups red beans (soak for 8 hours)
5 cups pork stock
2 cups chopped bacon
3 shallots chopped
6 cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 cup of chopped thyme
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Tbsp. olive oil
Cayenne pepper to taste
Beans preparation:
In a medium pot, sauté bacon in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme, and sweat for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add beans and stir together. Add pork stock, stir on high heat until simmer, turn heat down to medium, and let simmer for 3-4 hours. Once beans are completely tender, remove one cup and mash until smooth. Fold back into the cooked beans and add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Breadcrumbs:
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup powdered Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. olive oil
Combine all ingredients and set aside for service.
Plating:
2 cups flour
1 tbsp. salt (mix with flour)
1 tsp. pepper (mix with flour)
3 cups vegetable oil (for frying pigtails)
On your stovetop, heat 3 cups of oil in medium-size pot to 350ºF. Remove pigtails from buttermilk and coat with seasoned flour, and fry until golden brown. Set aside.
In a large sauté pan, heat one tablespoon of oil on medium high heat. Place seasoned pork bellies in sauté pan and brown on all sides. Set aside. Form sausage mix into small patties and cook in sauté pan. Set aside.
Fill your favorite casserole dish halfway with red beans, coat with breadcrumb mixture, and warm in 300ºF until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Place all of the delicious pork pieces on top of the beans, and serve family style.