Author Topic: Haricots de soissons  (Read 4773 times)

Haricots de soissons
« on: 19 September, 2017, 11:07:12 am »
As the weather is rubbish and autumn is fast approaching my thoughts have turned to cassoulet. I fancy making one and it being as authentic as possible. I can source most of the ingredients but haricots de soissons are providing illusive this side of la Manche. Does anyone know of a UK source for this particular type of dried bean ?
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #1 on: 19 September, 2017, 11:57:29 am »
Ahh, Cassoulet.

While I agree the local beans are best, I wouldn't get too hung up over them, you can get an authentic experience from normal haricots.

This recipe from Anne Willan (who does authentic French almost better than the French - ran La Varenne in Paris for years) has some useful hints for authentic



Sorry for getting French from here on

This from a good French "home cooking" book I have



But most significantly these from a book "La cuisine de Sud Oest", which has a chapter on Cassoulets (it starts with "Cassolet is the god of Provencal cooking...."



and



and



Let me know if you need a better quality image or translation of any bits (except for "all" ;) )

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #2 on: 22 September, 2017, 08:24:52 pm »
Does anyone know of a UK source for this particular type of dried bean ?

Any good Indian grocery store will provide you with a perfectly acceptable substitute.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #3 on: 23 September, 2017, 11:20:56 am »
But most significantly these from a book "La cuisine de Sud Oest", which has a chapter on Cassoulets (it starts with "Cassolet is the god of Provencal cooking...."

...which makes me wonder why pcolbeck is insistent on using beans from a specific region of northern France. Am I missing something?

You can get haricots blancs from Waitrose, btw. Or you could use cannellini or butter beans at a push. I don't think it's worth getting hung up on.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Haricots de soissons
« Reply #4 on: 23 September, 2017, 11:29:59 am »
Out of interest, I did some googling - haricots de soissons have been cultivated since the 18th century; cassoulet dates back to at least the 14th century.

Claims of authenticity in recipes are often overstated.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #5 on: 23 September, 2017, 02:09:25 pm »
According to The Book, using soft water is imperative, along with careful cooking (they also suggest 3+ types of beans).

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #6 on: 23 September, 2017, 02:15:43 pm »
Do you need to stand on one leg and stir counter clockwise to avoid spoiling les haricots ?

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #7 on: 23 September, 2017, 02:29:43 pm »
I think the precise variety of haricot beans is irrelevant. However if dried beans have been at the back of a cupboard for years then you will have problems. Round here one can get fresh haricot beans (cocos de Paimpol) these are nice. I one tried to use Egyptian beans (foul medame) these took forever to soften despite soaking, the recipe wasn't for cassoulet but nonetheless. A lot of traditional cuisine uses meats or other vegetables with some type of pea or bean, one needs to be aware that some peas/beans are poisonous unless properly boiled during the procedure and some need very long cooking. I cook cassoulet fairly frequently. Here in France confit de canard and pieces of duck are easily available (they are by-products of foie gras) and they are traditional in cassoulet.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #8 on: 23 September, 2017, 02:34:44 pm »
Surely 'bucket' type cookery uses what's available at the time and place and anything/everything/nothing is 'authentic'?

A Philistine.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Haricots de soissons
« Reply #9 on: 23 September, 2017, 02:37:42 pm »
Do you need to stand on one leg and stir counter clockwise to avoid spoiling les haricots ?

You shouldn't need to go to such lengths as long as you only use beans that have been picked by virgins by the light of the full moon in October.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #10 on: 23 September, 2017, 02:39:54 pm »
Surely 'bucket' type cookery uses what's available at the time and place and anything/everything/nothing is 'authentic'?

A Philistine.

For years I thought cassoulet only came in tins.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #11 on: 25 September, 2017, 03:04:26 pm »
Surely 'bucket' type cookery uses what's available at the time and place and anything/everything/nothing is 'authentic'?

A Philistine.

Surely, Cassoulet was invented to sort of recycle odd pieces of dead animals that would not have been useable otherwise.

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #12 on: 25 September, 2017, 03:13:44 pm »
That'll be the sossige you are thinking of

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #13 on: 25 September, 2017, 04:16:04 pm »
Or the haggis, or the hotpot, or the goulash, cholent or soup...

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #14 on: 25 September, 2017, 04:28:26 pm »
That'll be the sossige you are thinking of

Modern cassoulet is certainly a luxurious version of the original dish. A more basic version of cassoulet is known in Quebec as "fèves au lard", which is just beans baked with chunks of fat...

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #15 on: 25 September, 2017, 04:41:21 pm »
Ham I wouldn't trust you books since it says "Cassolet is the god of Provencal cooking....". Cassoulet is from Languadoc and not Provence.

Anyway why harocots de soissons? Apparently that's what its usually made with in South West France so if possible why not? Yes I know any haricot bean should work fine but if I can get them for a not outrageous price I might as well use them.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #16 on: 25 September, 2017, 04:51:06 pm »
Well I was translating wasn't I? It says Occitane, which is precisely correct, and I translated as Provence. Which is on the east, not the west. Good job you didn't pay for that translation then.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #17 on: 25 September, 2017, 05:33:29 pm »
Anyway why harocots de soissons? Apparently that's what its usually made with in South West France...

On whose authority?

It sounds highly unlikely to me, given that they aren't even grown in the region and weren't cultivated until the 18th century.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #18 on: 25 September, 2017, 05:39:16 pm »
If it's 'authentic' you want, you can buy Haricots de Castelnaudary:

https://www.le-marche-au-naturel.fr/haricots-lingots-secs-du-lauragais-castelnaudary-750-g.html
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

ian

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #19 on: 25 September, 2017, 05:40:37 pm »
See, it all comes back to my student house staple, cowboy. Which was chopped up canned meat (any will do, it just has to be a can, so spam, ham, or if you want to be posh, corned beef) in a pan of baked beans.

Best served with white bread and slathered with stork marg.

It's only a matter of time before I open my own restaurant in east London.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #20 on: 25 September, 2017, 05:45:00 pm »
See, it all comes back to my student house staple, cowboy. Which was chopped up canned meat (any will do, it just has to be a can, so spam, ham, or if you want to be posh, corned beef) in a pan of baked beans.

Has to be corned beef for the version my wife makes. And mash on top.

Quote
It's only a matter of time before I open my own restaurant in east London.

Have you got the beard for it?
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

ian

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #21 on: 25 September, 2017, 05:52:45 pm »
I suspect not. I have a beard now but at a paltry 1cm it's not really a proper E5 hipster buffer. That said, my chargrilled fish fingers à la Birdseye are unrivalled.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #22 on: 25 September, 2017, 06:00:24 pm »
This is what eating too much cassoulet does to you:
http://www.confrerieducassoulet.com/index.html
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #23 on: 25 September, 2017, 06:06:49 pm »
See, it all comes back to my student house staple, cowboy. Which was chopped up canned meat (any will do, it just has to be a can, so spam, ham, or if you want to be posh, corned beef) in a pan of baked beans.

Has to be corned beef for the version my wife makes. And mash on top.

Quote
It's only a matter of time before I open my own restaurant in east London.

Have you got the beard for it?

This is all bringing back memories of Panackelty from when I was a kid, my mam still makes it sometimes when I visit home...  (remove the mash and replace with slices of potato)

Regards,

Joergen

ian

Re: Haricots de soissons
« Reply #24 on: 25 September, 2017, 07:26:29 pm »
I once ordered 'cassoulet' in Mali. I received an unadorned plate of beans. Probably for the best, I don't think they have many ducks thereabouts.