Play Me a Recipe

Dawn Perry makes Weeknight Cassoulet

Episode Summary

Going into the fall, we need hearty dishes full of flavor that will fill our bellies and our soul. Normally, accomplishing such a task would take days, but with Dawn Perry's Weeknight Cassoulet you can have it all with little more than some pantry staples and 30 minutes.

Episode Notes

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters (if you're in Apple Podcasts, swipe up on the episode player page—the podcast chapters will be at the bottom).  

If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Dawn starts listing them at 1:25) before starting the episode.

Weeknight Cassoulet

Serves 4

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 pound total)
• 1 onion (any color), chopped
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Two (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini or white northern beans (undrained)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 cup panko, coarse fresh bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Prick sausages all over with the tip of a knife. Add the sausages to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until brown all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
2. Add onion, celery, and garlic to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beans and their liquid, the water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Slice sausages and return to the skillet. Stir in the vinegar and remove from heat.
3. Preheat broiler with rack in the top position. In a small bowl, stir panko, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season the bread crumbs with a little salt and pepper and scatter over beans and sausage. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil (watch carefully! Broilers vary like crazy) until the top is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.