Bean Cassoulet

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 10 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 4 stems fresh rosemary, 8 stems fresh oregano, 10 stems fresh thyme
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans or 3 cups prepared beans
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 4 links spicy cooked italian chicken sausage, sliced, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup spinach pesto sauce, recipe follows
• garlic-parmesan crostini, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lb spinach leaves
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 french style baguette, cut into 24 (1/2-inch thick)
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 heat the oil in a medium stock pot. add the vegetables to the oil, stir frequently, and cook until lightly brown around the edges.
• 2 add remaining ingredients, except sausage, 1 at a time. bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• 3 stir in sausage and allow to cook for 10 more minutes.
• 4 place in bowls, spoon 1 tablespoon of pesto and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sausage into each bowl. serve with garlic-parmesan crostini.
• 5 sauteed italian sausage:.
• 6 heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. season the sausage with salt, to taste, and carefully place in a single layer across the skillet. cook the sausage for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat or until browned. turn the sausages and repeat on opposite side. remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. slice into 1/4-inch slices.
• 7 spinach pesto:.
• 8 combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
• 9 garlic parmesan crostini:.
• 10 preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
• 11 heat the oil in a small skillet. add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until garlic begins to brown. remove from heat. brush the garlic oil on the top and bottom of each slice of bread. place the bread in a single layer over a sheet pan. sprinkle each slice with parmesan. bake for 10 to 15 minutes on the middle oven rack until bread browns over the top. serve.