Not A Pink Girl

Kathie’s Kassoulet (with apologies to Julia Child)

As a child, I was mesmerized by watching Julia Child make a true cassoulet. I decided (many years later) to make a much simpler one, & you can change the ingredients to suit your & your family’s tastes.

Sear about 4 bone-in Australian lamb chops in olive oil after dredging in mixture of flour, salt & pepper (go easy on the salt if you’re adding higher-sodium au jus or broth later), marjoram, winter savory & crushed rosemary (no regular rosemary for me; too much like little sticks).

Gather 1 plastic container of baby redskin *sniff* potatoes; 1/2 a bag of fresh green beans; a bag of baby carrots (REAL ones, not just big ol’ sinewy ones cut really small); a red onion, sliced; a bulb of garlic, each clove crushed (yeah I said it); a bay leaf & 2 cardamom pods left whole.

Spray the inside of a lidded iron French oven with Pam. Throw in baby carrots, cardamom (one pod on one side, the other on the other side), bay leaf (stuck in the middle), half the onions, & garlic. Put the lamb chops on top. Then add the rest of the onions, the green beans, & the potatoes (whole).

Now pour 2 jars of GOOD au jus on top of everything. You can also use a jar of high-quality demi-glace & a box of good beef, veal or vegetable broth (you might want to mix them with a whisk in a large measuring cup & then pour them over). You can also buy some good portobello mushrooms (rinse them well) & put them in (my fellas don’t like mushrooms). A splash of red wine wouldn’t hurt (we’re teetotalers).

Put the lid on & pop into a 300-degree oven for as long as you want. Can be reheated the next day on 225 for as long as you want.

You can increase the number of chops (don’t be like Mary Richards & not have enough when Sue Ann stops by unexpectedly) & use more or less green beans & carrots. As long as the lid goes on tightly, you’re golden.

The whole flippin’ house is gonna smell heavenly. And your family will suddenly notice you after years of benign neglect.