I love cassoulet, a French stew that traditionally includes beans, sausage, chicken or duck and pork. But the traditional variety includes ingredients I wouldn’t use in everyday cooking (like duck and other fatty cuts of meat) and can take a long time to make — days for some recipes. I saw one recipe on line which talks about an “easy” version in 10 steps. No thanks. I don’t have time for that.

My easy version includes the warmth and flavors of the original and the ease of either a slow cooker or a one-pot meal that can be ready to eat in less than an hour. One caveat: this dish is better on the second day. It freezes well, so make extra. The quantities I include here made about 10 hearty servings. Just add some crusty bread. You don’t even need salad because there are so many veggie servings in each bowl.

If you are making this in a slow cooker, just put all the ingredients in, give it a stir and cook on low for about 6 hours. If you’re doing it in a pot, you want to brown any raw sausage first, then add the rest of the ingredients, scraping the bottom of the pot well.

Here’s what I put in my recipe:
* one package of boneless skinless chicken thighs (I put them in whole but you can roughly chop or else shred it after the meal is cooked; you can use boneless skinless breasts, too, but they won’t have as much flavor)
* a package of andouille sausage (I diced it);
* three parsnips, four carrots, two red potatoes, and an onion, all chopped;
* a can of tomatoes (whole; I crushed them, but you could use crushed or diced if you want);
* a can of white beans, including the “bean juice”;
* a little chicken broth (about a cup);
* a sprig of oregano (fresh) and/or a bay leaf.

If you aren’t using a slow cooker, use a large heavy pot. Brown the sausage if it’s uncooked, then add the rest of the ingredients, stir and bring to a boil. Then turn it down very low and let it cook for about 45 minutes.

Notice I didn’t include salt: most sausages have ample salt and other flavors. When it’s done, taste the stew and adjust the seasonings. Add salt, cayenne, or black pepper as you wish.

Just before you serve, add some chopped fresh parsley and about three cups of shredded kale. Stir well, let it sit for about five minutes and then serve. You can add some grated hard cheese on top (Parmesan, Asiago), or a spoon of sour cream or creme freche.

Very very tasty.