Is confit doie essential?
Not so. Though many Cassoulets in Languedoc contained this ingredient, I came across several equally authentic and ambrosial versions prepared without it. This is fortunate for foreign cooks, because quality confit d’oie is usually hard to come by outside of France. When it is available, confit d’oie is usually canned and, as such, is apt to degrade more than improve your dish.