Cassoulet with lamb and sausages

Ingredients:

Beans

• 450 g dry white beans, sorted and washed
• 4 buds of cloves
• 1 large onion, cut in half
• 4 carrots, cut in half crosswise
• 2 stalks celery, cut in half crosswise
• 110 g pancetta, diced
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 3 sprigs of parsley
• 3 bay leaves
• 0.7 kg sweet Italian sausage, pierced with a fork
• 2 heads of garlic (unpeeled), cut off 1 cm of the tops.

Meat

• 1.1 kg boneless leg of lamb or boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 cm cubes.
• 1.5 tsp sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 350 g pancetta, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 can (400g) canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, mashed
• 1.5 cups dry white wine
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 15 g (about 0.5 cups) dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
• 1 wide strip of orange zest
• 3 cups of leftover sourdough bread cubes

Preparation:

1. Prepare the beansPlace the beans in a large saucepan and cover with cold water to a height of 2 inches (5 cm). Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour, then drain. Push the cloves into the onion halves and add to the saucepan along with the carrots, celery, and pancetta. Wrap the thyme, parsley, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth, tie with kitchen twine, and place the bag in the saucepan; cover with water to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Place the sausages in the beans, adding enough water to cover if needed. Add the garlic cloves, cut side down. Cover and cook until the beans are tender but still hold their shape, turning them halfway through, 20-30 minutes. Remove the lid and let the beans cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Prepare the meatMeanwhile, combine the lamb in a bowl with the sugar, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon each olive oil and salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side; remove to a plate. Add the pancetta to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring, until the fat has rendered, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, pork, and orange zest, then return the lamb to the pot. Cut a circle of parchment paper and place it directly on the surface of the lamb. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lamb is tender, about 2 hours. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Skim off any solidified fat from the surface of the beans and lamb. Remove the sausages and garlic heads from the beans. Cut the sausage into pieces and squeeze the garlic cloves from the skin; set aside. Remove the herb bag, carrots, celery, and onion halves from the beans. Remove the orange zest from the pot with the meat.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about half the beans to a large casserole dish and top with the lamb (beans and meat only, not the liquid). Add the chopped sausage and garlic cloves, then the remaining beans. Pour in all the liquid from the meat mixture. If necessary, add enough bean liquid to cover the cassoulet.
7. Place the casserole dish over medium-low heat and, uncovered, bring to a simmer for about 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Process the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Combine with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the crumbs over the cassoulet, transfer to the oven, and bake until golden brown, about 1.5 hours. Let rest for 15 minutes, then serve.