Cassoulet (meat and bean stew)

Soak dried beans in salted water, normally overnight; for a speed soak, bring the beans to a boil, kill the heat and let them soak for an hour.

Cut the country ham into big lardons and melt some fat out of them.

Add butter for more fat and brown the sausages and chicken legs.

Cut carrots, celery and onion into smallish pieces; add the carrots first, then the celery and onion, using their water to deglaze the meat. Leave everything in the one pot.

Peel and chop the garlic and add it.

Stir in a squeeze of tomato paste.

Drain and rinse the soaked beans, add them and cover with water.

Add bouillon cubes, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and cloves; no salt. Keep the beans just covered in water.

Boil on the stovetop to give the beans a head start, stirring so nothing sticks.

Bloom a box of unflavored gelatin in just enough cold water.

Snip the sausages into servable pieces, discard the inedible spices, taste and add pepper.

Kill the heat and melt in the gelatin.

Bake uncovered in a gentle oven at 300F / 150C for at least a couple hours.

Break the protein skin periodically and flood it with juice; check that the top is not burning, whether the beans are tender, and whether they need more water.

Optionally sprinkle breadcrumbs on top when the beans are tender and let them crisp for the last few minutes.