Berkshire Pork Cassoulet Recipe
From Chez Victor's Chef David Chrystian to Your Kitchen
A satisfying, warm braised dish that uses the most flavourful Berkshire pork shoulder as its base. Ideal cold weather comfort food!
In Japan, the prized “black pigs” (often with white spots on the snout) are called Kurobuta. In the UK from where they hail, they’re called Berkshire pork and they’re a heritage breed that for over four centuries, has been known as the most flavourful pork of all. Whatever you choose to call them, these pigs are the re-discovered industry standard amongst food cognoscenti and restaurants all over the globe.
Bruce Daum, a Berkshire pork farmer from Manitoba once said, “These were the pork of choice for royalty in England. Once you’ve tasted Berkshire pork, there’s no going back.” He is right of course. Some have called Berkshire pork “the Kobe beef of pork.” And now, the pork’s much-lauded marbling, rich taste and buttery texture are headlining menus such as Toronto’s Chez Victor.
Executive Chef David Chrystian has crafted a Braised Berkshire Shoulder Cassoulet that’s sure to satisfy during the cold-weather months. A recent Globe and Mail article cited that unlike their industrially raised cousins fed on eat corn and soybeans to fatten up before butchering, Berkshire pigs get to “dine on oats, molasses, fresh vegetables and fruit.” Now that’s eating in style for any hog!
Berkshire used to be a little-known item in North America- the majority of the pigs being sold to Japan. But that’s all changed now. Good butchers and gourmet shops carry fine product that you can take home to craft memorable meals, including Chef Chrystian’s delectable version of a bone-warming cassoulet.
And just to keep you in the spirit of merriment and entertaining, Chez Victor is also offering Food Trends’ readers the recipe for their French Martini. Say oui to a sexy blend of vodka, chambord and cranberry juice. Oh la la!
Braised Berkshire Shoulder Cassoulet Recipe
Serves 6-10
Ingredients:
- 1 bone-in shoulder
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks of celery
- 4 fresh bay leaves
- 1 bunch of thyme
- 6 slices of bacon or fresh Berkshire belly
- 2 cups dry navy beans (soaked in water over night)
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1 L chicken stock
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup dry wild mushrooms (black trumpet, chanterelle, porcini)
- ½ Lbs butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Begin by seasoning the shoulder very liberally with salt and pepper, then roast in a 375*F oven to brown and render some fat.
- At the same time cut all carrots, onion, celery, bacon or pork belly into 1 inch pieces, begin to cook in a large pot with the butter, chopped garlic, bay and thyme. Caramelize the vegetables, add tomato paste, dry mushrooms and soaked beans, season with salt.
- Once pork is browned add it to the vegetables , cover with chicken stock and slowly stew covered in the oven for up to 3-4 hours at 300*F.
- When the beans are very tender and the pork will easily pull from the bone, remove the pot from the oven, allow to stand for twenty minutes, then pull the meat from the bone, and serve in a deep bowl with the beans.
Serve with crusty baguette and perhaps some hot mustard or dill pickles.
- Although this recipe is not a classic cassoulet recipe, the method is similar, this is a one pot large party dinner. By cooking the shoulder with the bone in, you can maximize the flavor and subsequently don’t need to know how to butcher it, because it will easily be portioned after braising.
French Martini Recipe
Combine:
- 1.5 oz Absolut Vodka
- .5 oz Chambord
- Splash cranberry
Pour into Martini glass. Garnish with orange peel of Lemon to extract maximum flavours.
