Duck Neck Cassoulet - PHILIPPE LEBREUX, CHEZ PASCAL RESTAURANT

Day one:

Soak beans at night for the next day.

Rub duck legs with coarse salt, black pepper, garlic and fresh thyme. Put in a large baking dish overnight.

If you are making the duck neck, buy ½ kg of pork mince coarse and ½ kg of veal. Mince together. Season and add 2 tablespoons of cognac. Fill the duck neck and cover. Keep in fridge overnight.

Blanch, seed and dice tomatoes. Prepare bouquet garni. Crush garlic.

Day Two:

Blanch beans. Rinse under cold water.

Rinse duck legs under cold water. Pat them dry and put into a baking dish. Ensure they do not overlap each other. Pour over duck fat and cook at 110C for 2 ½ hours. Allow to cool in fat. Remove some of the fat and pour over the duck neck. Cook in the same manner.

Place pork fat in the bottom of a stock pot. Add beans, garlic sausage, pork belly, bouquet garni, garlic and tomatoes. Top with 4 ½ litres of water. Bring to the boil (do not salt at this stage). Cook, skimming, until beans are tender. Drain reserving the cooking liquid.

Season the lamb and beef. Heat duck fat in a heavy based saucepan. Brown meat and cover with the beans stock. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Day Three:

Bring the beans back to the boil. Add the caramelised beans and the meat.

To Assemble:

Place beans in the bottom of a large earthenware dish. Then layer meat, and duck legs. Finish with beans. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Dot with duck fat. Bake in a hot oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour.

* Boquet Garni, a small bunch of fresh herbs tied together and used to flavour stocks, soups, casseroles and sauces. The classic combination of herbs are: two sprigs of parsley, one sprig thyme and a bay leaf. Marjoram, rosemary and sage can also be used.