Turkey Sausage Cassoulet with Three-Bean Ragout

Ragout Ingredients:

2/3 cup dried black beans, rinsed and soaked overnight

2/3 cup dried kidney beans, rinsed and soaked overniht

2/3 cup dried white beans, rinsed and soaked overnight

1 teaspoon Filippo Berio olive oil

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 Tablespoon chopped shallots

1 cup low sodium chicken stock

1 large tomato, blanched, peeled seeded and diced

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspooon dried sage

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

Sausage Ingredients:

12 oz. ground turkey breast

1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped garlic

1 Tablespoon chopped shallots

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 Tablespoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 egg white

Herb Salad, which is 1 cup packed herb leaves to include parsley, chives, basil, tarragon, small amount of mint (with 1/3 of it being parsley)

2 tomatoes, quartered, seeded pulp removed, and julienned into 24 to 32 strips for garnish (optional)

Directions:
To prepare the ragout, drain and rinse the beans and put them into separate saucepans. Cover with about 1 inch of fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the beans for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the garlic, onion, and shallots, and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cooked beans and remaining ragout ingredients over medium-high heat; reduce by half. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Thoroughly combine all the sausage ingredients in a mixing bowl. Place 4 sheets of plastic wrap each measuring 12 inches square separately on a flat surface. Divide the sausage mixture into 4 equal portions and place a portion in the center of each plastic sheet. Using your hands, form the sausage into an oblong shape, about 6 inches long and 3/4 to 1 inch wide. Fold th bottom of each piece of plastic wrap over the sausage to cover. Lightly press the sausage into a cylinder shape and continue to roll up all of the plastic. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap so they form tight rolls. Set aside.

Bring at least 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Place the sausages in the boiling water and poach over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until they harden, set, and are firm to the touch. Remove the sausages from the water and let cool. When cool, remove the plastic wrap and discard.

Coat a nonstick sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the poached sausages and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, constantly shaking the pan to brown on all sides.

Spoon the bean ragout onto serving plates. Slice each sausage into 3 sections, placing them upright at the top of each plate (in the 12 o’clock position). Using 2 sprigs of each herb garnish per serving, gather into a bunch and place upright on to p of the sausage. Spoon the ragout at the foot of the sausage and across the plate. Garnish the top of the ragout with the tomato strips. Serve immediately. Serves 8.