We All Talk Like Maurice Chevalier!
Today is July 14. This marks the celebration of Bastille day in France and territories related to them. Bastille day was an important day in the history of the country, as it marked the beginning of government for the people, of the people, and by the people. Mel Brooks made the scene in Paris in the 1780’s comical in the history of the world part 1 (one of the best movies of all time). But, the facts and the sentiment were captured in one scene. We hear Cloris Leachman says we don’t even have our own language; and, this is met by a response of: “she’s right! We All Talk Like Maurice Chevalier!“
We make light of the situation and can laugh at the caricatures. But, the situation at the time of the Bastille was rather dire. The division of classes was so extreme that it cause poverty. There were 3 classes: the clergy, the royals, and the commoners. The commoners constituted 98% of the population. But, they had no say in the governing of the land. The royals had run the country into a huge deficit, and continued to spend extravagantly on their own comforts. What resulted was mass poverty, inflation, and unemployment.
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We All Talk Like Maurice Chevalier! But, that’s nothing to laugh about.
In the Mel Brooks scene they talk about not having bread. Indeed, there was famine growing across the region. And, people were spending as much as 90% of their income on bread. In June of 1789, the commoners went to petition the royals for proper representation and to address the growing poverty and division in the country. They found the gates to the royal grounds locked. So, they gathered on a tennis court in what became known as the Tennis court oath. Some member of the clergy joined them. At this auspicious occasion, they resolved to create a constitution similar to the US constitution passed 2 years earlier. It would guaranty the representation of ALL the people of France. But, the 1% in the monarchy did not agree with the measure. King Luis XVI called up the military to defend the royal interests.
The unrest built until the peasants revolted in July of 1789. Again Mel was right about the sentiment of the royals when the King is told the peasants are revolting. He responds with, “they stink on ice.” On the fateful day, July 14, 1789, the commoners stormed the Bastille to start the French revolution. The Bastille had been a fortress to protect France from invaders when it was built. But, it later became a prison for mostly political prisoners such as Voltaire. It was scheduled to be torn down. At the time, there were only 7 prisoners inside. But, there was a large cache of gunpowder and munitions. The peasants had already seized over 30,000 weapons.
The battle wore on. But, We Still All Talk Like Maurice Chevalier!
The mob approached the Bastille. A delegation were welcomed inside to negotiate. But, the natives outside became restless and were able to sneak in, lower a drawbridge, and allow the mob to invade. The soldiers inside protected the bastille by firing on the crowd. Over 100 commoners died. But, later in the day, the tide had turned. The peasants exacted revenge on an otherwise reasonable Bernard-René de Launay, who had initially bargained in good faith with the delegation, by cutting off his head. In the ensuing months and years, they imprisoned and executed members of the royal family. Luis XVI went to the guillotine January 21,1793. And, Marie Antoinette followed October 16, 1793.
What this means for us? Great food through freedom!
The dismantling of the Bastille and the ensuing revolution lead to the Free country we know today. And, of course, this lead to the proliferation of some of the best cooking the world has ever known. They had already been culinary masters for centuries. But, only the elite royal class was privy to it. After the revolution, it became available to the masses. within 100 years, Auguste Escoffier came on the scene and, literally, wrote the book on classical cuisine. To this day, the methods and traditions of French cooking influence every aspect of food. Thanks to the freedom of the French people, we are able to share in techniques and flavors only known to royalty.
So, what to cook?
So, to celebrate the freedom of the culinary world contingent upon the freedom of the French people, we present the following for your consideration:
Obviously, there are thousands of French dishes to choose from. But, what is one dish that says France more than any other? If you look at top 10 and top 20 lists of French dishes you will find things like beef bourgignon, onion soup, and coq au vin. These are all wonderful dishes. But, we want something that is an elevation of peasant food to celebrate teh rising of the commoners. I can think of nothing with more of a comfort food feel that will impress even the royals than cassoulet.
Cassoulet is a perfect dish for today’s busy professionals as well. It is a slow cooked bean dish with a hearty sauce. It has all you need for a nutritious and delicious meal in one pot. You can set it and forget it in the morning before going off to work and come home to a hearty fulfilling meal. When I visited Paris a few years back, I went to some truly magnificent restaurants with unique and flavorful dishes. But, the meal that stood out the most was a simple cassoulet I had in an al fresco brasserie.
Before long, We All Talk Like Maurice Chevalier!
We sat curbside in the 15th arrondissement. We could take in this quiet section of the city and enjoy the hospitality of the real French people. Despite the reputation, there really are nice people in Paris. And, what better way to experience the people and the culture than with a simple dish and a decent wine watching the people and conversing as best we could with our rudimentary French and their far better English. So, here is your recipe for a French Cassoulet and Duck Confit.
And, for dessert, see our other July 14th celebration: Grand Marnier day. Today, it’s all things French!
“Je lève mon verre à la liberté.”
French Cassoulet with Duck Confit
Ingredients
- For the Duck Confit
- 4 each duck legs Medium to large
- 8 each garlic cloves (crushed)
- 4 Tbsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sliced shallots
- 4 cups Duck Fat (you can do a mix of duck fat and oil if duck fat is hard to find)
- 8 each Thyme sprigs
- 8 each parsley sprigs
- 1 Medium carrot chopped
- 1 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
- 2 each Bay leaves
- For the Cassoulet:
- 2 cups Large White beans (cannelini is preferred)
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 TBSP Chopped fresh garlic
- 8 each thyme sprigs
- 8 each rosemary sprigs
- 1 each Bay leaf
- 1 cup Red wine
- 1/2 cup diced pancetta
- 1 cup diced french style sausage
- 1 cup Diced Pancetta
- 8 cups Beef or veal stock
- 1 Bunch Broccolini Aspiration
- olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cure the duck legs: Rub the duck with salt, garlic, and herbs. Refrigerate overnight, up to 2 days.
- Soak the beans over night in water.
- make the confit: Brush off the salt. Reserve for later seasoning. Heat a heavy pan over high heat. Sear the duck until it is a solid brown. There should be a good amount of duck fat rendered out. Add in the vegetables and stir around. Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover with foil, and, put in a preheated 300 degree oven. Let it cook for at least 2 hours. The meat should be ready to fall off the bones at that point. You could also do this in a hot pot or slow cooker (see manufacturers instructions). Allow the duck to cool in the oil naturally. This will maintain the moistness.
- Make the cassoulet: Heat the stock in a pot to a simmer. Render the bacon in another pot. Then add in the Sausage and pancetta. Stir around. add in the vegetables and garlic. cook until translucent. Add in the beans and herbs and stir until the beans are well coated with the flavors in the pot.
- Add in the wine and reduce until it is almost gone. Then add in the stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Then let it cook for several hours until the beans are soft and the stock becomes a Saucy Coating. Season and test that the flavors are good. When it is done, the beans should still maintain their shape, but have some give. You don't want to overcook them. If you need to add more liquid to get them cooked through, add water or stock. Again, this can be done in a slow cooker following manufacturer's instructions. This way, you can set it in the morning and have it ready to go at night.
- Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan. Saute the broccolini over high heat. Add a little water, salt, and pepper. It should be a vibrant green. This should take about a minute.
- The duck can be served on or off the bone. If you decide to take it off the bone, the meat should just fall off if it is cooked enough. Just, be careful of the thin bones. You might miss them. Serving the leg whole makes a nice presentation too. So, either way.
- For service: Remove the bay leaves and herb stems. Scoop the cassoulet into a bowl or crock. Top with the donfit duck and broccolini. Serve with a hearty red wine. Enjoy!