Cassoulet, the centuries-old specialty from southwest France of baked meat and beans, is a cold-weather warmer par excellence. At La Mercerie, Marie-Aude Rose assembles hers with lamb necks, pork ribs, fat back and sausages, nestled in succulently buttery, garlicky white coco and tarbais beans, paved with crusty bread crumbs. It’s baked and served in a deep, handmade earthenware vessel called a cassole, with traditional sloping sides. The dishes are made by the Not family in Mas-Saintes-Puelles, near Castelnaudary, one of the towns known for cassoulet. Roman and Williams Guild, the store that houses the restaurant, is also selling the cassoles, with Ms. Rose’s recipe included on a card.
Cassoulet, $38 at dinner through March 26, cassoles, $58 to serve one or two, $78 for three or four; La Mercerie, 53 Howard Street (Mercer Street), 212-852-9097, lamerceriecafe.com; Roman and Williams Guild, rwguild.com.
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