Recipe: Turkey Cassoulet (Jacques Pepin)

TURKEY CASSOULET

"Cassoulet is an earthy dish from the southwest of France. Traditionally, it contains white beans, poultry, and meat or sausage. In this leaner, healthier version, turkey breast is used, adding it at the end of the cooking period so it doesn't overcook and dry out. It is best to let the finished cassoulet sit for a few minutes before serving."

8 ounces dry white beans (pea, navy, or great Northern)
4 cups chicken stock (or lower-salt canned chicken broth)
2 large carrots (about 9 oz) -- trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups)
1 celery stalk, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust if canned broth is used)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
1 medium onion, peeled
2 pounds boneless skinless turkey breast, cut into about 2 x 1/2 x 1/4-inch strips
1 small tomato (3 oz) seeded, and coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, and finely chopped -(1 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Sort the beans, discarding any stones or damaged beans. Wash the beans in a sieve under cold water.

Place the beans in a large pot with the stock or broth, carrots, celery, salt, thyme, and bay leaves. Push the cloves into the onion and add the onion to the pot.

Bring the mixture to a boll, cover, reduce the heat to low, and boil very gently for about 1 1/2 hours (stirring every 15 to 20 minutes to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot), until the beans are soft and tender but not mushy and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove the onion from the pot. Remove the cloves from the onion and discard them. Coarsely chop the onion and add it to the pot with the turkey, tomatoes, parsley, and garlic. Bring the mixture back to a boil and boil it gently for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the turkey is opaque and cooked through.

Remove and discard the bay leaves, then serve, sprinkled with the hot-pepper sauce, within the next hour.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Jacques Pepin's Simple and Healthy Cooking by Jacques Pepin