Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      pound         white navy beans
   1      small         duck - cut into 8 serving pieces -- (or 8 smoked leg
                        -- quarters)
     1/2  pound         pork stew meat -- (pork shoulder)
     1/2  pound         lamb stew meat -- (this can be
                        -- replaced with more
                        -- pork or venison loin)
   2      medium        onions - diced
     1/4  slab          bacon - cut into 3/4" cubes
   2      tablespoons   minced garlic
     1/2  pound         spicy pork sausage
   2      cups          water
   2      cups          red wine
  12                    black peppercorns
   2      sprigs        thyme -- (or 2 tb dried)
   4                    bay leaves
   1      tablespoon    dried fennel
   1      small sprig   rosemary -- (or 1 tb dried)
     1/4  cup           bread crumbs
     1/4  cup           parmesean

Preparation:

Place the beans in cold water and soak overnight. The next day, place a heavy pot (like a turkey roaster) over two burners on the stove over medium heat and cook the duck pieces on both sides to render some of the fat. This takes about 15 minutes total. Remove the duck and set aside. Increase heat to high and add the pork. Brown well, remove from the pot and set aside. Brown the lamb. Remove and set aside. Preheat oven to 300F. Pour off and discard most of the fat, leaving just about 3 tablespoons in the pot. Lower heat to medium and add the onions. Cook, stirring until onions soften, about 7 minutes. Add drained beans, bacon, garlic and herbs and replace the duck, pork and lamb. Add the water and wine, cover and place in the oven for two hours. Add the sausages and salt as desired. Mix bread crumbs and parmesean and sprinkle over cassoulet. Replace in the oven another hour.