Tomorrow is the big day, Valentine Cassoulet

Well it is 4:40 in the afternoon, the day before Valentine’s Day. I have finally finished assembling the Cassoulet. It is resting in the refrigerator per Julia’s instructions. Tomorrow after the guests arrive it will go in the oven and I will at last be able to tell you what it tastes like. Julia’s advice to take three days was difficult. I think if I made it again, I’d use four days. Getting the lamb done and then cooling the stock so you could reduce the fat before re-cooking the beans in it would have been impossible without the freezing temps and piles of ice and snow outside. I should have cooked the lamb yesterday, but I was too tired.


My final task today was to make dessert. I’ve made this before. It is divine and so easy. I got this recipe from the Rachael Ray Show in 2008. I multiplied by 3 as we are having 10 people. However, I made it in 3 batches so as not to overload the blender.

Pots de Creme

4 demitasse cups

2/3 C whole milk

1 egg

2 T sugar

1 C semisweet chocolate chips

2 T Frangelico

Pinch of salt

Heat the milk. In the blender put all the other ingredients and blend. When the milk is warm, pour into the blender and process for 1 minute. The warm milk will cook the egg.

Tomorrow I will whip heavy cream and will top the chocolate cups. I bought strawberries to decorate the top.

That is it for today. We are going out to dinner. Tomorrow, I will tell you about the salad and appetizers. Most importantly, is Cassoulet de Porc et de Mouton worth the time? We shall see.