The American singer Tina Turner died this week. She performed with great energy, had an incredible voice. I admire the way she turned her life around. She seemed to always have a strong and positive presence. Inspiring lady. I have been humming and singing a few of her well-known songs since hearing the news – Nutbush, Simply the Best, Private Dancer, Proud Mary.
This dish is from Jo’s copy of The Fast 800 Recipe Book, by Dr Clare Bailey and Justine Pattison. It is a simple recipe and rather tasty. Cassoulet seems a very fancy name, it is essentially a French stew made with meat (typically pork) and white beans. The quantities in this recipe serve 4 people.
1 tbsp olive oil
6 spicy sausages (around 400g), such as spicy port
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
100g cubed pancetta or bacon
1 x 400g can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
generous handful chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Heat the oil in a wide-based, non-stick pan, add the sausages and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned on all sides, turning regularly. Remove from the pan and transfer to a board.
Add the onion and pancetta to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly until golden.
Cut the sausages in half and return them to the pan, and add the beans, tomatoes and herbs. Stir in 150ml water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover loosely and cook for 18 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add an extra splash of water if the sauce thickens too much.
Season to taste with sea salt and generous amounts of black pepper and stir in the parsley to serve.
Cook’s Tip:
I used pork sausages (not spicy) and added a shake of chilli powder into the sauce.