Title: Duck, Lamb and Sausage Casoulet
Categories: Meat Entree Bean Poultry
Yield: 10 Servings

1 1/2	lb	Great Northern White Beans; rinsed, and picked over
10	c	Chicken Stock
4	c	Water
2	lg	Carrots; chopped
5	lg	White Onions; chopped
2	lb	Smoked Kielbasa Sausage
1/2	lb	Thick-Sliced Smoked Bacon; diced
14	lg	Cloves Garlic; minced
6		Sprigs Fresh Parsley
3		Bay Leaves
6	ts	Dried Thyme; crushed
10	lb	Duck; 2 Ducks
2	lb	Boned Lamb Leg; fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
		Salt
		Pepper
112	oz	Canned Italian Plum Tomatoes drained (juices reserved) and c
2	c	Dry White Wine
1	c	Fresh Parsley; chopped

Place beans in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 3" and let soak overnight.

Drain beans. Return beans to saucepan. Add 8 cups stock, 4 cups water, carrots and half of chopped onions. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add sausage, bacon, 1/3 of the garlic, parsley sprigs, 2 bay leaves and 1 ts thyme. Simmer until beans are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves and parsley. Remove sausage. Cook slightly. Cut sausage into 1/2" thick rounds. Transfer sausage to a large bowl; cover and refrigerate. Drain beans; reserve cooking liquid.

Preheat oven to 325øF. Place ducks on rack in roasting pan. Pierce skin (not meat) with fork. Roast until ducks are cooked through and legs move easily, pouring off fat in pan and reserving 1/3 cup fat, about 2 hours. Cool ducks completely. Cut off duck legs and reserve. Discard duck skin and fat from breasts and thighs. Cut breast and thigh meat into 1/2" to 3/4" pieces. Add cut-up duck meat to sausage in bowl. Cover meat mixture and duck legs and wings separately; refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat 1/3 cup reserved duck fat in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add half of lamb and brown well. Using a slotted spoon, remove lamb and add to meat mixture. Repeat with remaining lamb. Season meat mixture with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add remaining onions and garlic to skillet and cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add 1 cup bean cooking liquid and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer mixture to a heavy large saucepan. Add remaining bean cooking liquid, tomatoes, wine, 2 ts thyme and 1 bay leaf. Cook sauce over medium heat until reduced to 7 cups, stirring occasionally.

Spread 1/3 of beans in the bottom of a 10 quart Dutch Oven or divide between 2 5 quart Dutch Ovens. Season generously with salt and pepper. Top with half the meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parsley and 1 1/2 ts thyme. Top with 2 1/3 cups sauce. Spread 1/3 of the beans over. Season generously with salt and pepper. Top with remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 cup parsley and remaining 1 1/2 ts thyme over. Top with 2 1/3 cups sauce. Spread remaining beans over. Season generously with salt and pepper. Pour remaining 2 1/3 cups sauce over. Top with duck legs and wings.

Preheat oven to 350øF. Cover casoulet and bake until heated through, adding enough reserved tomato juices and/or remaining stock as necessary if mixture seems dry, about 2 hours. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parsley.

Source: Gourmet Magazine From Katherine Smith, Kook-Net: The Shadow Zone IV ~ Stinson Beach, CA

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