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Mark Bittman called this a “cassoulet with lots of vegetables”, but it doesn’t actually resemble proper cassoulet in the slightest. Here’s my slightly modified version, with less complicated meat involvement. I’ve made this twice recently, and it’s really tasty.

Ingredients

• 3-4 sausages, whatever sort you like most — I use spicy or mild Italian sausages
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 yellow onions or leeks (white + light green parts only), chopped
• 2 med carrots, sliced
• 2-3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 small/med zucchini, sliced
• 1 tsp dried thyme (or, ideally, 6-7 sprigs fresh thyme)
• 1/4-1/3 c fresh parsley, chopped
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2 19oz tins diced tomatoes + liquid
• 1 tin chicken stock
• 2 19oz tins white kidney beans, drained
• Salt + pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat pot to medium or so. Brown + cook through the sausages in the bottom of a medium sauce pan or pot. I used my 6 litre enameled cast iron pot, which works wonderfully. Once cooked, remove to a plate and slice into sensibly-sized pieces.
2. Pour oil into the pot, then add onions and garlic. Saute these together for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add carrots, celery, and zucchini. Saute these for a few more minutes — 2-3, not long.
4. Put sliced sausage back into the pot and add thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Stir and saute for a few more minutes.
5. Pour in diced tomatoes with their liquid, and the small tin of chicken stock. Bring to low boil, then turn down to simmer for 30 mins or so, at least until the vegetables are cooked through.
6. Add drained + rinsed beans, and leave on low for a while to heat through.
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with crusty buns, real butter, and a nice beer.