Today, I present a recipe by special request. I was recently asked if there was a way of making cassoulet that didn't involve all the time and work. So, here I give you a simplified version of the classic French Cassoulet. Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked casserole originating in the south of France, made with duck confit, sausage, and beans. Served with good crusty bread and a good bottle of hearty wine Cassoulet is just about the finest warden against the cold dark night. If you are looking for a wine to pair with Casoulet you could go with a Cahors or Madiran, but many hearty country wines pair nicely. Take the Chateau Maris Carignan, the wine hails from Languedoc in the heart of the Minervois, in the Cru of La Livinière. This winery is quickly garnering worldwide acclaim for their outstanding line up of reasonably priced wines. Most recently Wine & Spirits Magazine announced that Chateau Maris as one of the top100 wineries in the world for 2016 Chateau Maris Le Carignan de Maris 2013 $14.99 "A great example of the variety, the 2013 Minervois Carignan de Maris offers classic plum and purple-like fruit, spring flowers, crushed rock and hints of charcoal to go with medium to full-bodied richness, beautiful purity and surprisingly polished tannin, which isn't easy to do with 100% Carignan. Aged 10-12 months in concrete tank, drink this beauty over the coming 4-5 years" Jeb Dunnuck 91 points Wine Advocate This wine is a real beauty and perfect for cooler weather fare like lamb stew or cassoulet. Chateau Maris is run by Robert Eden, who is the driving force behind the push toward biodynamic and sustainable farming in the region. Robert's approach to winemaking is based on the fundamental premise that wine is "grown", not "made". The winery is certified Demeter biodynamic and Ecocert organic. The winery has zero carbon footprint, producing more energy than it consumes. He's gone as far as building his new winery out of massive hemp "bricks". Their work in the Languedoc is leading the wine world in sustainability. Their hemp brick winery is cooled naturally, without refrigerant and absorbs CO2 from the fermentation process. Water is recycled and solar panels provide power. Lightweight bottles and recycled paper are standard. Lenny's Quick Cassoulet 4 ounces bacon, diced 1 cups chopped onion (3/4 lb)) 1/2 cup celery, diced 1/2 cup carrot, peeled diced 1 lb Sausage links, cooked and sliced 1 tsp finely chopped garlic 1 tsp thyme 1each bay leaf 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 (14-oz) can stewed tomatoes, chopped with juice 2 each confit duck legs* 1 14 ounce can white beans 2 cups beef broth 1 Tbl tomato paste 2 Tbl olive oil 1 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs 1/4 cup Parsley, chopped salt and pepper Printable Recipe and Instructions