As Richmond was blanketed in snow, Karen made a grocery list of heavy, filling, immobilizing and dense ingredients for dishes that would fortify us during the ice age. Then, just as we made our move to churn out a batch of white bean an leek cassoulet with biscuits, the temperature skyrockets toward 80 degrees. Oh well, we dug the dish anyhow.

Having never eaten cassoulet before, we didn’t know what to expect, other than a slow cooked bean stew. This one comes from the Veganomicon, features leaks, artichoke hearts (swapped for peas) and the nice addition of biscuit dough laid on top and baked in the oven. A recipe for the biscuits is included, but we went with some non-vegan Pilsbury stuff from one of those cardboard cans that pops open – a necessary time saver.

The hearty meal was a hit. I asked Karen about the thickness of the gravy/broth. Cornstarch. I noticed the thyme-iness of the dish. It made me search my bowl for bits of sausage. That was the only think missing, if you ask me. Maybe I was hearkening back to Lisa Garza’s much praised cassoulet from the semi-finals of The Next Food Network Star (that recipe’s right here). This is not an admission of the need for meat in my diet. Actually, Karen and I put fake meat (especially soysage) in so many of our meals that something’s missing when it’s not there. Anyhow, we’ve go leftovers and you can bet some Morningstar Farms or Twin Oaks brand fake sausage will make it’s way into that dish.

Now, I think I better work in some 20 mile bike rides to overcome the inertia that my dinner has inspired. Anyone else in a similar position?