White Bean Cassoulet

Sort and rinse beans well. Add to a medium pot and cover with cold water. Add carrot, onion, celery, garlic and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.

Skim any impurities that rise to the surface. Simmer gently until beans are just barely tender and cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid.

Add olive oil to large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add smashed garlic and cook until light golden, for about a minute or two.

Add carrots, onion, bay leaf and pepper and fry gently until slightly coloured.

Add tomato paste and cook out for a few minutes. Add duck fat, stock, thyme and rosemary, and bring up to simmer.

Preheat oven to 350. Place roughly torn baguette pieces on a baking tray; drizzle lightly with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake until golden brown and crispy. When cool enough to handle, roughly crush using a back of a pan or pulse quickly in a food processor

Combine bread crumbs and parsley in a medium mixing bowl. Fold in olive oil; mixture should be crumbly and slightly moist.

Preheat oven to 450. Season duck legs well with salt and pepper. Arrange duck and bacon, fatty skin side up in a large oven proof casserole or deep baking dish.

Add garlic and thyme. Fill with just enough water to cover up ¾ of duck, so that skin remains above water level. Bake, uncovered, until skins are crispy and golden, about 40-45 minutes.

Lower oven temperature to 350, and bake another 25-30 minutes, or until duck is cooked and tender.

Add strained beans to base sauce and continue to gently simmer for another 8-10 minutes. Adjust consistency with additional bean cooking liquid if mixture seems too dry. Check seasoning for salt and pepper.

In separate pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and bring to medium high heat. Brown sausages on all sides, until cooked through.

Preheat oven to 450 °F. Spoon bean and ham mixture into four separate oven-proof bowls or small casserole dishes.

Place sausages into bowls, followed by duck thighs. Place thighs skin side up, so that skin shows through beans. Sprinkle bread crumbs over beans.

Bake in oven until beans are warmed through and bubbling and bread crumbs are a deep golden brown.