Cassoulet Recipe

* 2.5 lb. (1.1 kg) uncooked white beans
* 1 lb. (450 g.) bacon, sliced thick
* 1 and 3/4 (800 g.) Portuguese lingüiça sausage, sliced
* 1 lb. (450 g.) ​​calabresa sausage, sliced
* 1 lb. (450 g.) ​​paio (smoked) sausage, sliced
* 1 tablespoon of olive oil
* 3 big onions, chopped
* 2 red tomatoes, coarsely chopped
* 5 large cloves of garlic, pressed
* pinch of black pepper
* 6 bay leaves
* 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
* Salt to taste
* chives, chopped in rings

Procedure:

1) In a big pot, add the sliced sausages (lingüiças and paio), add water to cover, about a finger over them and boil for 5 minutes. Drain this water, pouring it into a bowl: do not throw it out! Wash the pan, pour in the olive oil and fry the pieces of bacon over medium heat until you melt the fat; add garlic and fry until brown, add the sausages and again, fry them well.

2) Remove some of the fat and put in the onions and fry until translucent; add the chopped tomatoes and simmer to reduce a bit. Reserve the onions, tomatoes and sausages.

3) Pour the white beans in a large pressure cooker with water, three fingers deep of water over them. Seal the cooker and after it has begun to sizzle, cook under pressure for 8 minutes. Turn the heater off, carefully remove the pressure by running cold tap water over the cooker.

4) Pour the beans, the black pepper, the bay leaf and coriander in a pot. Mix gently, adjust the salt and add some of the reserved water (reserved from boiling the sausages), remembering that this water also has some salt. Simmer to reduce the liquid of the big pot, adjust the salt to your taste.

5) When the mixture starts to boil, lower the heat setting, cover and simmer until the beans are soft.

6) Remove the cover, and allow your cassoulet to cool down a little bit. Prepare each plate for your guests, and decorate with fresh herbs.