Ingredients

• 2 pounds Coco Tarbais or Great Northern beans, rinsed and picked over
• ¾ pound Ventrèche in one piece
• 10 cloves peeled garlic
• 2 medium onions, skinned and cut in half
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• Bouquet garni made of 5 parsley sprigs, 3 celery leaves, 1 thyme sprig, 1 bay leaf, 5 cloves, and 10 peppercorns, wrapped in cheesecloth and tied
• 10 cups water
• 6 Duck Legs Confit
• 1 tub of Duck and Veal Demi-Glace (6.5 oz) dissolved in 3 ½ cups of water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 links (8.5 ounces) Duck and Armagnac Sausage, lightly browned, then cut in thirds crosswise
• 1 pound fresh Garlic Sausage, cut into 12 slices
• ¼ cup Duck Fat, melted

Procedure

1. Cover beans with water and soak overnight. Drain and put into a large heavy casserole, preferably enameled cast-iron, with ventreche, garlic, onions, carrot, and bouquet garni. Cover with the 10 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring often, until beans are barely tender, about 1 hour.
2. Drain beans, discard onions and bouquet garni. Cut ventreche into ½-inch squares. Cut duck legs in half at the joint.
3. Season beans with 1 teaspoon salt and several grindings of pepper.
4. Preheat oven to 325º F.
5. Place half of the bean mixture in casserole. Add duck legs, browned duck sausages, chopped ventreche, and garlic sausage slices, and cover with remaining beans.
6. Mix tomato paste into dissolved demi glace, then pour over bean mixture.
7. Drizzle duck fat over top.
8. Cover and bake until hot and bubbling, about 2 hours. Cassoulet may be prepared ahead to this point, then cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
9. Increase oven temperature to 400° F. Uncover casserole and bake until top is browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.