1. If necessary, quick-soak the beans:

• Place the beans in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches.  Cover the pan and bring the water to the boil.
• Turn off the heat, uncover the beans, and soak for 30 minutes.

2. Fabricate the vegetables:

• Blanch the tomato by dropping it into boiling water for a few seconds, refresh by transferring to ice-cold water for a minute or two, then remove the core and peel off the skin.  Cut the tomato in half widthwise, remove most of the seeds, and cut into ¾-inch chunks.  If prepping ahead, store the tomato in a plastic bag.
• Fine-chop the onion.
• Peel both garlic cloves.  Mince 1 garlic clove.  Leave the other clove whole.

3. Start cooking the beans:

• Drain the soaking water off of the beans and place in a heavy oven-proof casserole. Add the chicken broth and water.  Place the pan over high heat and bring just under the boil.
• Turn the heat to medium-low.  Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.  Cover the pan and adjust the heat so that the beans cook at a gentle simmer while you complete step 4, about 15 minutes.

4. Fabricate the proteins:

• Cut the smoked sausage into slices a little less than ½-inch thick.  If prepping ahead, store the sausage in a plastic bag.
• Trim away excess fat from the pork and cut into 1 ¼-inch cubes.
• Remove the skin from the duck leg and cut it through the joint to separate the drumstick and thigh.  Optionally, use a cleaver to chop off the knuckle from the drumstick.  Ensure that no bone fragments remain and that there are no sharp ends.  (If using chicken thighs, just remove the skin.)  Trim away any remaining fat.
• Cut the bacon into lardons (crosswise strips).

5. Brown the proteins:

• Place a sauté pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking.  Add the olive oil.  Add  pork cubes on one side of the pan and the duck or chicken on the other.  Season both with a little salt.  Sauté the pork about 1 minute, turning halfway through, until browned.  Remove the pork to a sizzle pan or work plate.  Turn the duck or chicken, moving it to the center of the pan, and continue sautéing until all sides are browned.  Transfer to the sizzle pan.  Turn the heat to low.
• Add the bacon lardons and sauté, stirring often, for about 45 seconds until the bacon renders its fat and becomes golden brown.  As you sauté, gently scrape up the fond (browned bits of protein) from the pan.

6. Continue cooking the beans:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F.
• Add the onion and minced garlic to the pan with the bacon, and sauté a few seconds longer until the onion softens.  Scrape the bacon/onion mixture into the simmering beans and stir to combine.
• Add the bay leaf, thyme, tarragon, and sage to the beans and stir to combine.
• Recover the simmer, cover the pan, and continue cooking the beans, stirring often, for about for about 15 minutes longer.
• Add the pork and duck or chicken to the beans, cover the pan, and bake for about 35 minutes until the beans are just tender and the proteins are cooked through.  (A knife inserted into them should meet with just a little resistance.)
• Taste the bean broth, evaluate the flavor, and if necessary season with salt, keeping in mind that the beans will cook further and reduce, concentrating the flavor.
• If prepping ahead, cool to room temperature and transfer the beans and proteins to a container.

7. Season the breadcrumbs:

• Crush the whole garlic clove. 
• Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over low heat and add the garlic clove.
• Stir in the panko crumbs and cook for a few seconds until the butter absorbs into them and the garlic is fragrant.  Don’t allow the crumbs to brown.
• Cool the crumbs to room temperature, and discard the garlic.  If prepping ahead, store in a plastic bag. 

8. If necessary, make the Dijon Vinaigrette.

9. Assemble the remaining mise-en-place for the recipe.

HOLD: Refrigerate all ingredients up to 5 days.

COOK!  Finish and plate your dinner.

10. Assemble and bake the cassoulet:

• Preheat an oven to 400°F.
• Heat the beans and proteins in a microwave oven on medium power until hot. 
• Transfer the beans and proteins to a heavy oven-proof casserole. Remove the bay leaf.
• Check the consistency of the sauce that has formed around the beans: if it’s very thick, thin it out with a little water.  If it’s too thin, pour it into a sauté pan and reduce over high heat, stirring often, until it reaches a medium-thick consistency.  Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken further in the oven.
• Taste the beans, evaluate, and correct the salt if necessary. 
• Fold the tomatoes and smoked sausage into the beans and proteins.
• Cover the casserole and place in the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes.
• Check the consistency of the sauce around the beans.  If the beans seem dry, slowly drizzle some boiling water overtop to moisten them.
• Turn the heat up to 475°F.  Uncover the casserole and spread the breadcrumbs evenly over top.  Return the casserole to the oven and bake about 10 minutes more until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.

11. Chop the parsley.

12. Make the salad:

• Trim away ⅛ inch of the Belgian endive’s root end and remove any wilted or discolored leaves.  Cut the endive lengthwise into slices slightly less than ¼-inch wide.  Separate or cut the slices into strips.  Place in a bowl.
• Cut out the core of the radicchio and remove any wilted outer leaves.  Cut the radicchio into ¼-inch ribbons and add to the bowl.
• Drizzle just enough dressing onto the salad to coat the leaves.  Toss gently, and then toss in the arugula at the last minute.

13. Plate:

• Spoon the cassoulet into warm pasta plates or wide soup bowls, ensuring that each serving has equal amounts of the proteins and an equal amount of the crispy crumb crust.  Sprinkle each serving with parsley.
• Serve the salad in individual bowls.