Cassoulet

Lore & Background

In medieval times it was called an estouffet. The current name is a diminutive of the Languedoc word cassolo, meaning a cooking pot, though Elizabeth David suggests it comes from 'Cassol d'Issel', the clay pot made in Issel near Castelnaudary. The haricot bean became the principal ingredient only later; medieval versions used broad beans (favolles). Sources disagree on when haricots arrived: the Oxford Companion to Food says the 16th century via Spain from the New World, while Larousse Gastronomique states they were not used in France until the 19th century.

Reader's Guide

Cassoulet is a cornerstone of French rustic cooking, celebrated for its regional variations and communal traditions. The dish is the subject of 'infinite dispute' according to Mastering the Art of French Cooking authors, with every town claiming the one authentic recipe. Prosper Montagné divided the main varieties into 'the Trinity': Castelnaudary (the Father) uses pork and sometimes preserved goose; Carcassonne (the Son) adds leg of mutton and partridge; Toulouse (the Holy Ghost) includes Toulouse sausage, mutton, and duck or goose. Other variants include Montaubon with tomato purée, and a fish cassoulet with salt cod. The dish is traditionally sprinkled with breadcrumbs to form a crust. Cassoulet is considered nourishing country fare, not haute cuisine, and stories persist of a single pot being extended for years by deglazing and reusing the base.

Did You Know?

• The name 'cassoulet' is a diminutive of the Languedoc word 'cassolo', meaning a cooking pot.
• The term 'cassoulet' is first attested in print in the 19th century.
• In medieval times, the dish was referred to as an 'estouffet'.