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1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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2
Cut, or have the duck cut, into serving pieces.
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3
Prepare it further by cutting away the meat from the breast bone.
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4
Cut away peripheral fat surrounding the thighs, legs and breast.
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5
Reserve enough of the fat to produce two tablespoons when finely chopped and discard the rest.
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6
Cut the boneless breast meat into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
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7
Cut the thigh into four pieces.
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8
Cut the leg crosswise into 1 1/2-inch lengths.
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9
Cut the pork and lamb into one-inch cubes.
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10
Add the chopped fat to a large, heavy skillet and cook until rendered.
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11
Meanwhile, cut half of the sausage on the diagonal into slices measuring about 1/3-inch thick.
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12
Cut the remaining sausage into round slices of about the same thickness.
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13
Set aside.
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14
Add the cubed duck, pork and lamb to the skillet.
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15
Cook over high heat, stirring from the bottom, until the fat is rendered from the duck pieces.
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16
Cover and cook about 12 minutes.
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17
Spoon two tablespoons of this rendered fat into a separate skillet and add the onion and two teaspoons of the garlic.
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18
Cook, stirring, until wilted.
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19
Cook about five minutes and add the tomatoes, half of the thyme, one bay leaf, salt and pepper.
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20
Continue cooking about 10 minutes and add the beans.
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21
Add the round slices of sausage to this mixture and continue cooking 15 minutes.
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22
Meanwhile, when the meats have cooked for about 12 minutes, reduce the heat and add the remaining garlic, thyme and bay leaf; stir.
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23
Add the wine and stir the bottom to dissolve the brown particles that cling to the pan.
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24
Reduce the heat, cover closely and continue cooking 20 minutes.
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25
Add the bean mixture to the meat mixture and stir to blend.
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26
Pour the cassoulet into a heat-proof baking dish (a dish measuring about 15 by 10 by 3 inches is ideal).
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27
Cover the cassoulet with a layer of diagonal sausage slices.
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28
Sprinkle with bread crumbs and melted butter.
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29
Place in the oven and bake 10 minutes or until ready to serve.
