What are you been cooking today

[achookwoman]

fundj,  looks nice too.

[JulieO]

Yes it does. 

[andiesenji]

Now at least you are speaking my language, I have always thought that cassoulet is a slow cooked stew using haricot beans....like you I am not a fan either Frozzie.    

Frozzie and Johnro, 
The "traditional" recipe I use  is a variation on Cassoulet de Castelnaudary  which  is based on pork and is usually made with white haricot beans or other white beans - often here in the US, Great Northern beans. 
I had the pork but no duck confit  but I did have some duck sausage  and also some  turkey/cranberry sausage.
I wanted the beans to be more prominent in the dish so I chose to use these much larger dark beans that have a pale cream-colored interior and a distinct flavor. 
Because the Mark beans take longer to cook, I pre-cooked them the day before I made the cassoulet. 

[Frozzie]

sounds pretty similar andie to the common cassoulet you find everywhere here and yes castelnaundry is the home of cassoulet but alot of people say toulouse too with it not being too far away from the town i imagine and then havingt their spin on it..there always seems to be alot of fatty pork meat in it..big fat porky sausages, echine de porc (very fatty porc meat) very little lamb (ive never noticed that much with all the porc) and duck confit (which i love..mmmm confit de canard)..prefer that any day over cassoulet which i never touch mainly because I dont eat porc which is funny at times since Frances principal meat is everything pig..its hard to find anything else at times...most markets or community get togethers etc have stalls with either cassoulet or choucroute

sidetracknig here but i miss aussie beef and so does DH..he loves how good it is and how cheap it is compared to here..ive heard its because the french dont bleed their meat (they like it bloody) but they do in oz which I prefer...some dispute about blood and flavour...

[andiesenji]

sounds pretty similar andie to the common cassoulet you find everywhere here and yes castelnaundry is the home of cassoulet but alot of people say toulouse too with it not being too far away from the town i imagine and then havingt their spin on it..there always seems to be alot of fatty pork meat in it..big fat porky sausages, echine de porc (very fatty porc meat) very little lamb (ive never noticed that much with all the porc) and duck confit (which i love..mmmm confit de canard)..prefer that any day over cassoulet which i never touch mainly because I dont eat porc which is funny at times since Frances principal meat is everything pig..its hard to find anything else at times...most markets or community get togethers etc have stalls with either cassoulet or choucroute

sidetracknig here but i miss aussie beef and so does DH..he loves how good it is and how cheap it is compared to here..ive heard its because the french dont bleed their meat (they like it bloody) but they do in oz which I prefer...some dispute about blood and flavour...

Frozzie,  I have a friend who lives in Lyon, after growing up and living here in SoCal until her thirties.   She also has a problem with the beef but she found a Kosher butcher who caters to Jewish residents and buys all her beef and poultry there.  She has to pay a bit more but says the quality is superior. 
She is not Jewish but when she lived here became a devotee of Kosher butcher and deli products because of the cleanliness.  She lived in Paris for almost a year before moving to Lyon and said she met some of the friendliest people at the Jewish meat markets and delis, while most people she met were not all that welcoming.  It was totally different in Lyon and within a couple of years she had a wide circle of friends and is godmother to her local baker's youngest child. 

My cassoulet is not "classic" but a variation on a theme.   I have made one with turkey meat from breast and thighs, veal sausages and chicken/apple sausages  for my friends who observe religious food laws.  (Kosher and Halal) 
I have several Muslim friends who trust me to cook things that will not offend their religious scruples. 
No pork, no alcohol, no "unnatural" foods - i.e. GMO grains, etc.

[DizzyGirl]

No fuss bread rolls (loaf)
Varoma Sultana Bread
Swedish Ice Cream Cheese Cake (for Sunday)
Easy Apricot Slice (for dessert tonight with some EDC custard poured over the top)

Gotta love a day away from our business. so much time for cooking

DG xxx

[Frozzie]

thanks andie will have to check out the jewish and halal butchers..easy enough to find in paris but not sure about here but will check it out...thankfully I have no problems with friends but think its also beause DH is french and I have integrated quite well but it is a far cry from the friendliness and closeness of people down under...alot of walls around people over here even when your friends with them...but thats a cultural and trust issue thing which I can understand as its not at all the same type of people over here..even after 11 years i am still having trouble with games and people just not being themselves...its very tiring!

[judydawn]

Today we had Agilio Oilio & Peperoncino pasta for lunch and for tea steamed barramundi and vegies with citrus butter.

[DizzyGirl]

It is raining once again in New England NSW 
But it is a good excuse to stay inside with thermie.
Tomorrow is in laws Christmas Party (as Christmas day is spent with my family this year) so I am going to be cooking all day.

Plain White rolls - no fuss (herb and cheese bread) by the gas heater rising as I type
Mayonnaise - Judydawn's version
EDC Banana Bread to use the egg whites left over from mayonnaise (DS loves this in his lunchbox)
Varoma Bread sultana version for rfuit loaf during the week.  (Hope it freezes well)
French Onion Dip from Judydawn
Sweet Chilli Dip (going to mix some Sweet Chilli Saucce with Cream Cheese)
Apricot Jam (Chelseas Recipe)
Going to try and make a version of Christmas Fudge using white chocolate, dried cranberries and pistachios
Berry Coulis EDC to go top of Cheesecake

Then onto dinner. Steamed fish with lemon myrtle dressing and vegetables.

Have a great day

DG xxx

[fundj&e]

you are having fun, DG

[fundj&e]

i have made ginger nut biscuits and cream cheese ice  cream cake 

[DizzyGirl]

YUM fundj

yes I am having fun 

[JulieO]

I've currently got Tenina's Slow cooked pork chilli cooking, (Dinner Spinners).  Making it early as we have to go out this arvo, so all I have to do is re-heat both this and the rice when I get home, will also give the flavours time to develop, but I've just had a taste with only a few mins to go and it is delicious!, I may not even add the balsamic as I love the flavour as is.  Will see what I think, ooo the alarm just went off, gotta go! 

[johnro]

That is also on the menu here tonight with fried rice - pavlova for dessert - having Twitterpated and her DH for dinner - as company not the accompaniment - ha, ha!!!!   

[judydawn]

Ooh, can we have a photo of the lovely foursome Robyn - have a great night.