Cassoulet

Man can not live by bread alone. So, you should occasionally have some cassoulet. Ok, so this is not completely conforming to the new low fat, low carb menu planning standards we have set for ourselves at the Voodoo (Home) Economist. The dish is however wholesome, stick to your ribs, fare that when consumed in moderation, sits squarely within the new world order. Hey, I had the sausages leftover in the freezer. What's a guy to do? Laissez Cassoulet!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb lean pork loin, cubed
2 sweet Italian sausages, chunked
1/2 kielbasa, chunked
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 white diced onion
4 large pressed cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups white beans
1 can roma tomatoes
1/2 cup water
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley

Heat the olive oil in a good sized cast iron dutch oven. Add the Italian sausage and  pork loin, brown until a lot of the fat renders out.
Add the kielbasa (which is already cooked), mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook for about five minutes, stirring to incorporate all of the ingredients.
Add the beans, I used 2 cups of Navy beans I had cooked the night before but, canned is fine. Add the tomatoes and their juice, and enough water to cover. If you have bean broth, use that. Liberally grind black pepper to taste. Bring everything up to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until everything thickens up and melds together. About 15- 20 minutes.
Before serving, I pick out any large tomatoes and chop them then re-add. Get rid of the bay leaves.
Garnish with parsley and serve with a nice crusty roll. We love us some La Brea baguettes and always keep them in the freezer. If they are available where you live, by all means do yourself a favor! In moderation of course...
(ed note: After having consulted Larousse, the type of sausage is not mandated, so the original title stands!)