The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (25 page)

6 cloves garlic, peeled

Juice of 1 lemon

¹
/
₂
cup pitted kalamata olives

3 lemons, cut into wedges

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Crumbled feta cheese for garnish

Crusty bread for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
   
2. Wash the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the thighs in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
   
3. Toss the potatoes, carrots, and garlic with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and squeeze the lemon juice over them. Arrange around the chicken in the dish. Arrange the olives and lemon wedges around the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
   
4. Uncover and sprinkle the chicken with the chopped oregano and butter. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the feta cheese. Serve hot with chunks of crusty bread.
   

Serve this Southwestern casserole with salsa and a steamed vegetable on the side. It goes well with a light Mexican beer or a chilled crisp white wine, such as Johannisberg Riesling.

•••••

6 bone-in chicken legs with thighs attached

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

¹
/
₂
teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 clove garlic, minced

1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped

1 large onion, sliced

1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles

Tomato salsa for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and brown on both sides. Arrange in a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish as they are done.
   
2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in a blender, combine the sour cream, salt, pepper, flour, garlic, and jalapeño pepper. Process until smooth.
   
3. Pour the sour cream mixture over the chicken. Top with the onion and green chiles. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with the tomato salsa.
   

When chicken thighs are on sale at the market, I buy a dozen and make this recipe, which is similar to coq au vin, but with a little less fuss. If the mahogany color of red wine bothers you, this dish is equally tasty cooked with a dry white wine.

•••••

6 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

12 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned and excess fat trimmed

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

¹
/
₂
teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste

¹
/
₄
cup all-purpose flour

³
/
₄
cup chopped sweet red onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bag (16 ounces) frozen baby boiling onions

¹
/
₂
pound mushrooms, trimmed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram

1 cup dry red or white wine

1 cup chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¹
/
₄
cup chopped fresh chives for garnish

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan.
   
3. Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and coat with the flour. Brown the chicken in the bacon fat over medium-high heat and arrange in a 9-by-13-inch shallow baking dish.
   
4. Add the red onion and garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 1 minute and add the baby onions, mushrooms, and marjoram. Sauté over medium-high heat until the onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Spread over the chicken in the casserole. Add the wine to the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken broth and boil for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the baking dish.
   
5. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray and bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.
   
6. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Strain the liquid from the baking dish into a heavy saucepan. Transfer the onion mixture to the platter with the chicken and keep warm.
   
7. Mix the butter and flour in a small dish. Bring the cooking liquid in the saucepan to a boil. Whisk in the flour mixture and boil until the sauce is thickened and reduced to about 2
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   cups, 8 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper and ladle the sauce over the chicken and onions. Sprinkle with chives and serve.
   

A buttery cornmeal crust tops this chili pie, which is made with ground turkey. Serve it with fresh salsa.

•••••

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground turkey breast

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 can (14
¹
/
₂
ounces) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano with their juice

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¹
/
₂
teaspoon salt

Cayenne pepper

1 can (about 15 ounces) pink or red kidney beans, rinsed and well drained

FOR THE PASTRY:

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

¹
/
₂
cup yellow cornmeal

¹
/
₂
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₂
cup (1 stick) cold butter, thinly sliced

¹
/
₄
cup ice water

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a shallow 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   - to 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
   
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and brown the turkey with the garlic and bell pepper, breaking up the meat with a spoon as it browns.
   
3. Add the tomatoes with their juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened slightly.
   
4. Reduce the heat to low and add the beans. Cook for 5 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Spoon the mixture into the casserole and let it cool while you prepare the crust.
   
5. To make the pastry:
   In a large bowl, stir the flour, cornmeal, and salt together. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water and stir with a fork until dough begins to come together.
   
6. Gather the dough together into a ball, then press it into a disk and dust very lightly with flour. Place between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and roll out until it is about
   ¹
   /
   ₄
   inch thick and slightly larger than the top of the casserole.
   
7. Remove one of the sheets of paper or plastic from the pastry and place the pastry, covered side up, over the contents of the casserole. Remove the top sheet of paper or plastic. Turn under and flute the edges of the pastry. Cut large slits in the crust to let the steam escape. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and the casserole is bubbly.
   

Turkey breast is mild-flavored, so the taste of the crab really comes through here. Serve this with freshly cooked wild rice and steamed asparagus.

•••••

4 tablespoons butter

2 pounds turkey breast tenderloins

¹
/
₂
cup sliced green onion (white and green parts)

¹
/
₄
pound thinly sliced mushrooms

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons dried thyme, divided

¹
/
₂
cup chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

¹
/
₂
cup light cream or half-and-half

¹
/
₂
cup dry white wine

Salt

Pepper

³
/
₄
pound fresh crabmeat, or 2 packages (6 ounces each) frozen crabmeat, thawed and drained

¹
/
₂
cup chopped fresh parsley

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a shallow 3-quart casserole with about 2 teaspoons of the butter.
   
2. Wash the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Cut each piece in half crosswise. Place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet until thin and about tripled in size.
   
3. Melt the remaining butter in a nonstick skillet. Add the green onion and mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the flour and 1 teaspoon of the thyme. Whisk in the broth, cream, and wine and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook until thickened and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.
   
4. In a small bowl, combine
   ¹
   /
   ₄
   cup of the sauce, the crabmeat, parsley, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Divide the mixture between the turkey breast slices. Roll up into tight bundles and place, seam side down, in the buttered casserole. Spoon the remaining sauce over the turkey bundles and sprinkle with the cheese. (At this point the dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Add 10 minutes to the baking time.)
   
5. Cover the casserole with a sheet of aluminum foil coated with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through.
   

It seems people are always looking for another way to serve cooked turkey on the day after Thanksgiving. Serve this dish with any leftover baked sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.

•••••

4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish

¹
/
₄
cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 cup light cream

1 teaspoon salt

³
/
₄
cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

¹
/
₂
cup shredded Swiss cheese

Dash of cayenne pepper

1 large head broccoli (about 2 pounds), tough ends trimmed, and cut into spears

¹
/
₄
pound thinly sliced cooked ham

1 pound sliced cooked turkey breast

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole.
   
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the 4 tablespoons butter and stir in the flour until smooth. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring. Whisk in the chicken broth and cream. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth. Stir in the salt,
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   cup of the Parmesan cheese, the Swiss cheese, and the cayenne pepper.
   
3. In a large saucepan, cook the broccoli in boiling salted water for about 12 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and arrange in the casserole, covering the bottom. Top with the sliced ham, then the turkey.
   
4. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over all and sprinkle with the remaining
   ¹
   /
   ₄
   cup Parmesan cheese. (At this point the dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Add 10 minutes to the baking time.)
   
5. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until bubbly.
   

Here’s another delicious casserole to try on the day after Thanksgiving, especially if you have leftover stuffing as well as turkey.

•••••

3 tablespoons butter, divided, plus extra for the dish

2 medium onions, chopped

¹
/
₂
pound mushrooms, sliced

2 cups diced cooked turkey

¹
/
₂
cup diced cooked ham

1 cup crumbled leftover stuffing or toasted and seasoned bread cubes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley