What on earth do you do with leftover cassoulet? It would be a crime to waste even a morsel of duck confit. (especially after smuggling it across an ocean.) And let’s face it: unless you’re cooking for a crowd, there’s going to be a lot of leftovers. When someone proffered the suggestion of turning it into a hash, I got an idea that falls somewhere between a crab cake and a burger: cassoulet cakes. And I think it’s genius, even if I do say so myself. I molded a big scoop of cold cassoulet into a thick patty and pressed it in fresh breadcrumbs. After cooking up a few slices of bacon, I reserved the fat and used it to brown up both sides of the cakes before transferring them to a hot oven. While they warmed, I plated a simple mâche salad and inspired by a croque madame – and the fact that this was breakfast after all – pulled an egg out of the fridge and quickly fried one up. After about ten minutes the hot cakes came out and slid atop the salad, the egg topped the cake, and bacon and parsley got scattered everywhere. Crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside, the runny egg yolk brought it all together, while the mustard tang of the salad cut through the rich fat of both the pork and duck. Delicious, yes. Indulgent, yes. And the perfect way to greet the passing of a cold and snowy February.
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