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1
Combine the tomato and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat.
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2
Bring to a boil and add the beans; bring to a boil again, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles regularly but not furiously.
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3
Cook for about 20 minutes, adding the liquid when the mixture becomes thick.
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4
Add the salt and cayenne when the beans are tender and flavorful.
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5
Meanwhile, put the sausage in a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high; brown on both sides, turning only once or twice.
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6
Add the sausage to the tomato-bean mixture, along with the pork.
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7
Raise the heat a bit if necessary to keep a simmer going.
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8
Stir the beans occasionally so the pork chunks cook evenly.
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9
Cut a 1/2-inch cross-hatch pattern in the skin side of the duck breast, right down to the fat layer.
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10
Put the breast in the same skillet as the sausage, skin side down, and turn the heat to medium-high.
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11
Cook until nicely browned, pouring any rendered duck fat and juices into the bean mixture.
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12
Turn the duck and brown the meat side, then crisp up the skin side again for a minute or so, once more pouring any juice into the beans.
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13
Total cooking time for the breast will be 6 to 8 minutes.
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14
To serve, carve the sausage and duck breast into serving pieces and put on each of 4 or 6 plates.
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15
Top with beans and pork.
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16
An optional additional step (which is not particularly time consuming and certainly not at all difficult) that will give the dish the look of a traditional cassoulet: In step 4, combine the cut-up duck (or the browned duck confit if you were able to substitute it) with the beans and pork in a shallow baking dish.
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17
Finish the dish by toasting some bread crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, in the fat remaining from browning the duck.
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18
Sprinkle these on top of the stew, then run under the broiler to brown just before serving.
