Hopeless situations when cassoulet's prepared (4,6)

I believe the answer is:

lost causes

'hopeless situations' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'cassoulet's prepared' is the wordplay.
'prepared' is an anagram indicator.
'cassoulets' is an anagram of 'LOST CAUSES'.

'when' acts as a link.

(Another definition for lost causes that I've seen is " people who can't succeed".)

I've seen this clue in The Everyman puzzle in The Observer.

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