to smile on teh inside when my friend's kids refused her cassoulet

[pointydog]

I used to have to listen to the wonderfully varied and international foods her children would eat while my own turned their noses up at her vegetable lasagne.

Well her kids are older now. They ate the sandwiches and pizza and wouldn't touch the cassoulet.

[branflake81]

don't blame them - it's gross.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Oh its disgusting, I saw Rick Stein making it once on tv and wanted to puke.

[avenanap]

What's in a cassoulet? I watched someone make one once on tv but I still have no idea what it is apart from that it's cooked in a casserole dish

[BrownSuga]

Send it my way, i love it. can't be arsed to make it though, so gets our in a can when I can.

[avenanap]

Ewwww! I'm going to barf!

[policywonk]

cassoulet - bleurgh x 1000.

[pointydog]

yeah, beans basically in a mediterraneanly flavoured sauce. She'd bunged some sausage in too

[booge]

I love cassoulet, lucky kids.

[avenanap]

And the pork fat? Is it just a fancy caserole which is just a fancy stew?

[Blu]

mmm - cassoulet is lovely - belly pork, goose, spicy french sausage, beans tomatoey sauce....

But I am delighted that her children rebelled and showed her up.

[pointydog]

I really don't know about pork fat.

I ate it, it was beans in a sauce with sausage. I didn't ask for the recipe. I was too busy smiling inwardly.

Get it up you with your cassoulet

[Swedes]

I have to tell you a funny story about my sister. My sister phoned me as I was trying to get a casserole in the oven before rushing off to watch DS1 performing in an afternoon drama workshop.

ME : I had better go as I want to get this casserole in the oven before I set off so we will all have supper ready and waiting when we get back.
SIS : Yes, go back to your cassoulet.

ME : But I'm not making cassolet, I'm making casserole.

SIS: Yes, I know, but I'm saying it in French.

[Blu]

Her casoulet sounds rather basic, Pointydog.

Cassoulet:
Ingredients
300g/10oz dried white haricot beans, soaked in cold water overnight
1 onion, studded with a few cloves
1 bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, a few sprigs each of thyme and flat leaf parsley and a 7.5cm/3in celery stick, tied together)
4 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 Toulouse sausages
4 duck legs
350g/12oz belly pork rashers, skinned and diced
2 tbsp goose or duck fat (or oil)
1 large onion, chopped roughly
1 large carrot, chopped roughly
2 celery sticks, chopped roughly
350g/12oz lamb neck fillet, diced
350g/12oz boneless casserole pork, diced
290ml/½ pint dry white wine
400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 heaped tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 heaped tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
salt and pepper

[Blu]

Next time you see her manage to fit 'oh, your kids arten't keen on sausage and bean casserole, are they?'

[policywonk]

sausages, duck, pork and lamb in the same dish... it's WRONG

[hifi]

know how she feels, dd used to eat anything, chicken livers, pate, mussels blah blah blah. she will only eat fish fingers now, she peels then , leaves the skin as she calls it and eats fish. i feel for her.

[Blu]

But Hifi, this is a well-trod path. They ALL do it - which is why smuggery is always so misplaced
(cue the my child ate tripe thorughout his primary school years' brigade )

[pointydog]

cassoulet and a half that one, blu

[hifi]

i had to but 60 fish fingers this week, when does it end?