Tag: cassoulet

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Time for a Cassoulet in Brighton

I first visited Brighton in the 1980s when as a family we would sail over to France. Sometimes we would sail from Ramsgate to Calais (or Boulogne), but if we were on our way to Normandy, we would sail from Brighton, arriving in Dieppe, Fecamp, or Le Harve. I also made a trip there for a JISC programmes meeting in July 2004. Then I had stayed at The Grand Hotel. I remember thinking it was a little too posh for me. I headed out for dinner finding a nice French place in The Lanes, it was probably Cafe Rouge. I think it closed down years later. I also visited Brighton in June 2005 when I was on holiday in Bognor Regis. Then we stayed mainly on the seafront, visiting the Pier and the Doctor Who Exhibition there. We returned to the holiday camp for dinner on that visit.

Brighton beach and pier

I had planned to stop there last year on my way to Newhaven on a driving holiday to the continent, but ran out of time and stopped at Horsham instead for something to eat. This time I was attending a conference all week and it was nice to see Brighton once more. We also had a fun conference dinner on the Brighton Palace Pier. While I was in Brighton I went out to eat a few times.

On my first night and upon arrival in Brighton and checking into my hotel, did have a look around on Google Maps to see what places were around. Had thought about going to Mowgli, having enjoyed my meal in their branch in Bridgend, however they have stopped doing their Tiffin boxes for one. So, where else in Brighton I could go. There was lots of choice, however I wanted to avoid chains, as I can eat there in Bristol or London if I so choose, so I picked on a couple of places on the map and headed out.

I first arrived and looked at the Petit Pois Restaurant on Ship Street, I did like the menu, but then walked around to Embers as I did like the sound of their barbecue. I was thinking I could visit Petis Pois another day during my time in Brighton. However upon arrival, I found Embers were only doing their Sunday lunch menu. Now I like a good Sunday lunch, but having had an excellent Sunday lunch in London recently at the Drayton Court Hotel, I was in the mood for something else.

So, with that in mind, I headed back to Petit Pois, the French eatery I had walked up to before. Now I can sometimes find it challenging about where I am going to eat and can spend so much time looking that I actually lose my appetite or run out of time to eat. I had to make a choice, I was out of luck with Embers, so I said to myself that I would eat at Petit Pois.

It was quite busy, but they managed to find me a table. Inside was a French style bistro, lots of wooden tables and chairs. There was an air of informality about the place. There is an eclectic decoration on the walls. It was busy and I think I was lucky to get a table. They had a really interesting looking menu and it was quite challenging to work out what to have. I was stuck between the Bouillabaisse and the cassoulet.

In the end I went with the cassoulet, I did think if I was able to I would visit the restaurant again another day (as I was in Brighton for the week) and have the Bouillabaisse then.

The cassoulet arrived and it looked really nice, duck leg, pork belly, sausage on a bed of cooked beans.

cassoulet

This was incredible, really tasty. The duck was tender, the pork was melt in the mouth, the sausage had a meaty texture. You could taste the three kinds of meat and the beans were delicious. Alongside I had some bread, which was delicious for mopping up the sauce and juices. 

The menu does change and looking today as I write this, there is no cassoulet on the menu, but I suspect it will be back. Actually just looking at and reading the menu, is making me hungry.

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Cassoulet Toulousain

Cassoulet Toulousain

I bought this can of Cassoulet Toulousain when I was on holiday in France in the summer. Having had some legs from the roast duck left over from Christmas, I decided I would heat up the legs in the oven and heat the contents of the tin in a pan. As well as beans it also contained some sausage and duck meat.

The Cassoulet Toulousain was very tasty, but also very rich, almost too rich. It had been cuisiné à la graisse de canard, as in cooked in duck fat. I think I would have preferred to tone down the richness with some stock. I do like cassoulet, so it was interesting to try one of these cans from France. They are something you don’t see for sale in the UK, except in specialist French grocery shops or delicatessen.

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Homemade bean dish

I originally called this dish a cassoulet. However I didn’t think it was an authentic cassoulet, so checked for a definition of what a cassoulet is.

Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked stew originating in southern France. The food writer Elizabeth David described it as “that sumptuous amalgamation of haricot beans, sausage, pork, mutton and preserved goose, aromatically spiced with garlic and herbs”.

Yup, what I cooked wasn’t a cassoulet. I didn’t use haricot beans, mutton or goose, and didn’t slow cook it either. Maybe something to try at another time.

I did though make a dish with beans, pork belly, and Polish sausage. 

In a large deep frying pan, I have a lovely large pan I got at IKEA which is ideal for this.

I added a splash of olive oil to which I added some pancetta. After cooking this for a while I added chopped garlic, with diced red onion, peppers and mushrooms.

I cooked the pancetta, onions, peppers, and mushrooms until the onions and pepper were softened. I then added some flour, stock, and some tomato puree. I cooked this for a while (ten minutes) before adding some sliced Polish sausage and some cooked pork belly chunks. The pork belly I had slow roasted in the oven for an hour.

After ten more minute I added two packs of beans, one cannellini, and one borlotti. As they are already cooked I was just warming the beans through.

I served this with some roasted potatoes and cooked vegetables.

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Crispy Duck Leg Cassoulet

Staying at the Drayton Court Hotel having had a great starter for my evening meal, it was then onto the main course.

I had ordered the Crispy Gressingham duck leg, which was served with a bacon, sausage and bean cassoulet.

It was supposed to come with a parsley crumb I think, but there was crispy kale instead.

I had had a really nice duck cassoulet at Côte Brasserie at the end of last year, so it wasn’t too surprising that I compared the two dishes as I tucked into the cassoulet from the Drayton Court Hotel. The duck was tender, but I do think the skin onto could have been crispier. The cassoulet though was rather good, filled with bacon, sausages and beans. I also enjoyed the crispy kale that garnished the dish. 

Overall I think both dishes were great, I preferred the duck at Côte, and it was difficult to choose between the cassoulets, but Drayton Court had the edge.

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Time for a Cassoulet

At the end of last year I went to Cote in Ealing and had a very nice duck cassoulet.

I had been thinking about going out to eat, whilst up in London for work. In my hotel I looked over various menus, but did quite like the  sound of the Cassoulet de Toulouse with confit duck leg that was on the menu at Cote.

I had eaten there earlier in the year and had, what could be described as a nice meal, wasn’t excellent, but wasn’t bad either.

I was given a warm welcome and offered a table by the window, which I took.

I ordered the Cassoulet de Toulouse.

Cassoulet de Toulouse

The cassoulet is described in the menu as a hearty slow-cooked white bean stew gently simmered with wine and a blend of herbs. Originating from Southwest France.

Cassoulet de Toulouse was cooked and came with confit duck leg, Toulouse sausage and bacon lardons, topped with melted garlic butter and sourdough croutons.

Obviously they didn’t cook it from scratch and I don’t think they had a pot of cassoulet on the go from which to dish out my plate of food. So my guess was that they heated up a pre-cooked version of the dish. Not that I was too worried about that, as sometimes a nice cassoulet tastes better if cooked, cooled, left and re-heated.

The duck leg I enjoyed, but I would have said it was overcooked. It was very tender, and the skin was nice and crispy. I liked it even so.

I really enjoyed the cassoulet it was full of flavour and it worked well. I could have quite easily had a second portion.

My only criticism, the dining experience was slightly ruined by the neighbouring table where a very loud conversation was happening. They weren’t really thinking or considering their fellow diners. You couldn’t really ignore it.  Maybe I should have asked to move, but I was hungry. 

I didn’t stay for pudding.