This dish should be prepared in the morning to be served in the evening, or the day before. Place the beans in a medium saucepan, and cover them with plenty of cold water. Salt generously and soak the beans for 12 hours. Drain, and set aside.
Pour the water and the broth into a large bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over it. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, fry the sliced duck breast and half the sausages in the duck fat over medium heat for a few minutes to brown. Remove the sausages from the pan and place in a large bowl. Brown the rest of the sausages and the duck legs in the same way, a few at a time, and then also set them aside in the large bowl.
Using the same saucepan over medium heat, add the carrots, onion and garlic. Sauté 3-4 minutes, scraping the pan well to incorporate the cooking juices, then add the white beans and the remaining ingredients, including the broth mixture, but not the sausages and duck legs. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add a generous amount of pepper, cover and simmer for 60 minutes or until the beans are just al dente.
Preheat the oven to 325° F (165° C) about 20 minutes before the end of cooking.
Transfer the bean mixture to a large, oven-proof baking dish (preferably ceramic). Add pepper to taste and bake for up to 2½ hours uncovered. One hour before the end of cooking, add the sausages and duck legs, submerging them in the beans. Continue cooking.
Remove from oven and serve very hot with crusty bread.
Recipe developed by Nicolas Vallée, professional chef
