Jack Monroe’s energy-saving cassoulet – recipe

I used to cook long, slow dishes such as casseroles or curries in my dressing gown. Not as my attire of choice, but to save energy, as a makeshift layer to swaddle the pot, which then went into a cardboard box. I’d never written about it, because I thought I’d gone a step too far. I recently confessed to it on my blog and was met with cries of “Me too!”, as people shared similar stories of wrapping pans tightly in thick material to conserve heat and carry on cooking at no cost. For those worried about the pork cooking through, by the time it gets swathed in cloth and placed in its manger, it has had half an hour of blasting at a high heat – I assure you it will be cooked if you’ve diced it sensibly. But there is a conventional oven method too, if you prefer.

(Serves 4)

2 tbsp lard, butter or oil

400g pork (belly, ribs, sausage, bacon or meatballs all suffice), diced into small pieces

A large onion, sliced

A large carrot, chopped

1 bulb of garlic, peeled

1 tsp fennel seeds

3 stalks rosemary, leaves picked and chopped finely, or 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs

2 tbsp red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

600ml chicken or ham stock

3 tbsp tomato puree

500g tinned white beans (haricot, cannellini or black-eyed beans), rinsed and drained

2 slices white bread, grated into breadcrumbs

A fistful of fresh parsley, chopped

Pop a large pan or casserole dish on a high heat. Add the fat and pork and cook for a few minutes, stirring until the meat is cooked on the outside, then reduce the heat to very low.

Add the onion, carrot, garlic, fennel seeds and herbs, and cook for 10 minutes.

Pour over the vinegar and stock, and stir in the tomato puree. Add your beans and boil for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you’re using an oven, heat it to 130C/250F/gas mark ½.

Remove your cassoulet from the heat, cover with a lid or tinfoil, and either pop it in the oven for three hours, uncovering for the last hour, or try the following cheaper option.

Wrap the pan in a large, thick towel (or dressing gown) as tightly as you can, and leave to stand, in a cardboard box if you have one, for three hours. The towel will conserve the heat, allowing your cassoulet to carry on cooking at no extra cost.

To serve, heat through on the hob and top with breadcrumbs and parsley.

For more recipe ideas, see agirlcalledjack.com or follow @MsJackMonroe on Twitter.