Quick Cassoulet
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (4-inch) pork sausages, sliced (about 8 ounces)
4 (4-inch) lamb sausages, sliced (D'Artagnan is a good source)
4 (4-inch) duck sausages, sliced (Again D'Artagnan)
Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup cognac or brandy
5 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt added diced tomatoes, drained
1 (4 ounce) piece French bread baguette
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausages; cook 6 minutes, stirring frequently. ( I had to do this in batches) Remove sausages from pan using a slotted spoon; drain. Wipe pan with paper towels, leaving browned bits on bottom of pan. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through salt); cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cognac; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
Place thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and cloves on a double layer of cheesecloth. Gather edges of cheesecloth together; tie securely. Add cheesecloth bag, broth, beans, and tomatoes to vegetable mixture; stir to combine. Return sausages to pan; stir. Bring mixture to a boil, and remove from heat. ( At this point I transferred the mixture to a casserole, but if you are using an attractive Dutch oven leave it alone).
Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until fine crumbs measure 2 cups. Melt butter in a large skiller over medium-high heat. Add crumbs to pan; saute 5 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over bean mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Discard cheesecloth bag before serving.