Day Ahead Preparations - Soak Beans & Make Duck Confit

1. Soak beans in water overnight
2. Preheat oven to 300º
3. Season duck legs with salt & pepper. Place in a large, shallow baking dish with garlic cloves, sliced ginger & thyme
4. Top with duck fat and olive oil (if duck fat cannot be found, more olive oil can be used in place)
5. Bake, uncovered 1-1¼ hours. Remove and allow to cool. Reserve 2 tbsp fat for cooking

Assemble & Finish Cassoulet

1. Preheat oven to 450º
2. Heat 2 tbsp canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat
3. Sauté ginger, garlic and jalapeno pepper for 2 minutes
4. Add bell pepper, onion and celery. Soften for 3-5 minutes
5. Add sliced andouille and saute for 2 minutes
6. Drain the kidney beans and add to the pot
7. Add spices, thyme sprigs and stir. Pour in chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 1-1¼ hours until the beans are tender, and the mixture has slightly thickened
8. Heat reserved fat from duck confit in saute pan over medium-high heat
9. Salt both sides of 2-4 confit duck legs and add to pan
10. Add split andouille sausage to pan, split-side down. Sear both duck and sausage 2 minutes per side
11. Ladle bean mixture into oven-proof serving dish (or individual, smaller dishes such as clay cazuelas). (There will be extra beans left over.) Top with croutons and bake 3-5 minutes
12. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh thyme and a drizzle of olive oil for sheen

*Note: The recipe yields extra duck confit and stewed beans. Keep duck in refrigerator submerged in fat, and use for a variety of dishes, for example, seared, pulled and served atop salad greens, etc. The stewed beans can be served as an entree atop rice