If there is a dish that better creates its own nostalgia of France, one both "country" and refined, hearty and complex, I haven't had it.  It is not a technically difficult dish to make,  but it takes time and care. I could pretend to know exactly the right kind of sausage or  origin of duck for an authentic meal, but in truth, the secret to a good cassoulet is an appreciation of the effort needed to make such a seemingly simple concoction. 

The first ingredient is the most essential and expensive: France. Though I haven't tried, I  doubt this dish would be remotely as delicious when consumed somewhere else.  Furthermore, when in France, it is not difficult to find good duck confit, which is duck meat on the bone, preserved in its own fat. Having searched many of Earth's dark corners, I can say without a doubt that a more savoury, tender, more richly satisfying meat does not exist.  All other ingredients, including white beans, tomatoes, sausage, bread crumbs, bouillon, thyme, sage, pepper, and salt are readily available, unless you live in a hardship post.  A few friends will make it all worthwhile of course.

The dish really takes two days to prepare.  When you awaken on day one, you should immediately commence obsessing about your cassoulet. Plan a market visit to purchase the fresh ingredients. Any old market in Gascony, Bordelais, the Languedoc or French Pyrennees will do.  I don't recommend buying any produce unless you personally speak to the farmer, discuss their farming philosophy, and ask for their advice on making a cassoulet.

After your market visit, soak the beans overnight in a lot of water. It doesn't seem to matter that much if you skip this step, but it certainly adds to the mystery of your creation. On day two, after the fog of last nights Vin de Pays wears off, you should begin the chore that ultimately makes your dish a labor of love.  Take each piece of duck confit and remove the fat and skin from it.  If this reminds you a bit of cleaning up under a deep fat fryer, rest assured, I've done that job too. The next chore is to remove all the duck meat from the bones.  This step is usually only given one sentence in the recipes, but it will elicit the most colorful phrases of appreciation when executed.  The thought will occur to you that this must be far easier to do after the meat is cooked, but these are dangerous thoughts and must be cleared. Boneless meat is another of the many differences between your cassoulet and the loveless restaurant variety.

With skin and fat off meat and meat off bone, you are free to simmer all the ingredients,  except skin, fat and sausage, together until they are tender. The sausage should be fried in a bit of duck fat, while the skin and fat are destined for greatness. Take the slimy mess and drop it in a small pot with a bit of water and let it simmer. The fat will melt evenly, the water will evaporate and as the grease heats up it will fry the skin a crispy golden brown.  The product is called crackling.  Treat it like bacon by removing it with a slotted spoon and set aside. All that grease will not go to waste. What you are about to make with it will be more valuable than gold at mealtime.  Soak up all the grease with your breadcrumbs and brown them. Then, mix in the crackling.  Don't be shy; this is not a health conscious meal.

Your cassoulet should be assembled in a medium depth ceramic casserole, preferably purchased at a local market as well. Pour the stew in first and cover it with a Golden Fleece of bread crumbs and crackling. Heat your oven to your favorite temperature and let the cassoulet ripen inside. When the edges of your dish become coated with caramelized sauce, you know your dish is done and ready to be admired by all.  Everyone will thank you for your efforts and remember it as a highlight of their trip to France.