Serves 4 generously

There are as many versions of a cassoulet for the French as there are variations on a fish pie for the Brits. What they all have in common is a slow-cooked stew made with white haricot beans and a combination of pork, duck, goose or, sometimes, lamb. To speed things up a bit, you could buy the duck confit from a delicatessen.

200g dried haricot beans, soaked overnight

3 tbsp goose or duck fat

1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2 sticks of celery, chopped

250g piece of dry-cured bacon, cut into large pieces

2 tsp tomato purée

1 bouquet garni (thyme sprigs, parsley stalks and a bay leaf tied with string)

Freshly ground black pepper

300g Toulouse or Cumberland sausages

4 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs

2 tbsp chopped parsley

For the duck confit

Rock salt and freshly ground black pepper

Handful of thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

3 duck legs

400-500g goose or duck fat

1 The night before, soak the haricot beans in three times their volume of cold water. Also start preparing the duck confit. Scatter a large handful of rock salt in a wide dish with the herbs. Lay the duck legs on top, skin-side up, and sprinkle with another handful of salt. Chill for 6-8 hours.

2 The next day, drain and rinse the beans and scrape off the excess salt from the duck, reserving the thyme and bay leaves. Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3. Season the duck legs with black pepper, then put them in a small casserole or roasting dish with the herbs. Melt the goose or duck fat and pour in enough to cover the duck legs. Gently heat the casserole dish and bring the fat to a simmer. Cook in the oven for 1½-2 hours until the meat is meltingly tender and falls easily off the bone. Remove from the oven and leave the duck to cool in the fat.

3 Turn up the oven to 180C/Gas 4. For the cassoulet, heat 2 tablespoons of the goose or duck fat in a flameproof casserole dish. Sweat the onion, garlic, carrot and celery for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the beans, bacon, tomato purée, bouquet garni and freshly ground black pepper. Pour in 1.6 litres of water and bring to the boil, removing any scum that rises to the surface. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 1-2 hours, until the beans are soft.

4 Meanwhile, melt the remaining tablespoon of goose fat in a sauté pan and quickly brown the sausage. Remove the dish from the oven and check for seasoning. Cut the sausages into 2.5cm pieces and the duck legs in half through the joint and immerse them in the stew. Mix the breadcrumbs and parsley together and sprinkle over the top. Finish cooking the stew uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the liquid has reduced and the stew is covered with a dark golden crust.

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