Crockpot Cassoulet

This is a traditional French dish that can be arduous to make. But Robyn has modified the cassoulet concept for an easier preparation. It's perfect for a slow cooker. Great for winter dinner parties.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 300g piece boiling bacon
• 2 sticks celery
• 400g boned lamb shoulder
• 400g pork shoulder
• 2 cups white haricot beans
• 2 cups water
• 8 breakfast pork sausages
• 140g pot tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon beef stock powder
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 1 bouquet garni
• salt
• 50g butter
• 2 cups soft breadcrumbs
• quarter cup chopped parsley

Method

Peel onion and chop. Crush and peel garlic. Chop boiling bacon into 2cm cubes. Trim celery and cut into 1cm slices. Trim fat from lamb and pork and discard. Cut meat into 2cm cubes. Place onion, garlic, boiling bacon, celery, lamb, pork, beans, water, sausages, tomato paste, thyme, allspice, stock powder, tomatoes and bouquet garni in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 8-10 hours, stirring halfway through cooking if possible.

Season with salt. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add breadcrumbs and cook over a medium heat until the crumbs are lightly golden. Serve cassoulet sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley.

From the book ‘Robyn Martyn's best recipes for Crockpots and Slow Cookers’.