Read The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever Online
Authors: Susie Cushner
The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (62 page)
8 large eggs, separated
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/
3
cup all-purpose flour
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4
teaspoon salt
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- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish.
- Cut the cheese into strips
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/
2
inch thick and 3 inches long. Remove the stem and seeds from the chiles and discard. Cut each chile lengthwise into 3 strips. Wrap a chile strip around each piece of cheese and set aside. - In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, and set aside. Without washing the beaters, beat the yolks in a small bowl until creamy, and beat in the flour and salt. Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture.
- Spread half of the egg mixture in the bottom of the casserole. Top with the chilewrapped cheese. Cover with the remaining egg mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until puffy and golden.
All the flavors of classic chiles rellenos are here, but this version is a lot easier and quicker to put together. Canned diced green chiles replace the roasted poblanos.
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5 large eggs, separated
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
2 tablespoons canned diced green chiles
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4
cup all-purpose flour
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2
teaspoon baking powder
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart shallow casserole or quiche dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, Monterey Jack cheese, cottage cheese, green chiles, flour, and baking powder. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the egg yolk mixture. Pour into the casserole dish.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffy. Remove from the oven, cut into quarters, and serve hot.
Raclette is both the name of a cheese that’s made in Switzerland and the name of the dish it inspired. The dish is made by placing the cheese near intense heat, which traditionally is an open fire, and scraping off the melting cheese. (Racler is a French word that means “to scrape.”) In this casserole version, we melt the cheese in the oven. I suggest using Gruyère or Swiss, which are more readily available than raclette cheese.
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FOR THE PICKLE:
2 medium red onions, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Generous pinch of dried dill
FOR THE ROASTED POTATOES:
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch dice
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon olive oil
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2
teaspoon kosher salt
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2
teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
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4
pound sliced Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Sliced salami, sausages, or countrystyle ham for serving
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- To make the pickle: Spread out the onions in a shallow dish, pour boiling water over them to cover, and leave to soak until cooled, about 30 minutes. Mix the sugar, vinegar, salt, and dill in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Drain the onions, pour the vinegar mixture over, cover, and let stand for at least 1 hour. (You can do this as much as 1 day in advance and refrigerate.)
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- To make the roasted potatoes: In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and garlic cloves with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread out the potatoes in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Lay the cheese slices over the potatoes, then return to the oven until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Serve hot with salami, sausages, or ham slices.
Welsh rarebit is often served as a main course or at high tea in Britain. Tomatoes are the classic accompaniment. I think it makes a perfect brunch or supper dish. When it is topped with a poached egg, it’s called a “golden buck.”
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2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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2
cup beer or milk
4 thick slices rustic, homemadestyle bread
Paprika or cayenne pepper for sprinkling
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Tomato wedges for garnish
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Toss the cheese with the flour in a 1-quart casserole. Stir in the beer or milk.
- Cover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Stir until smooth.
- Meanwhile toast the bread. Spoon the melted cheese over the bread and sprinkle with paprika or cayenne pepper. Top with basil leaves and tomato wedges.
CASSEROLES FOR CROWDS
What is a crowd? For one person, that might mean a dozen people, and for another, two dozen is more like it. In this chapter, we cover the range between 12 and 24. Most home kitchens don’t have casserole dishes, ovens, and refrigerators large enough to handle extra-large quantities, so these quantities are easier to manage.
If you are planning a large gathering, such as a family reunion, you might consider making a casserole in this chapter several times. It is easier to repeat a recipe than to multiply it by, say, three, and then try to figure out what to bake it in. However, you may need to use all the casserole dishes in your pantry, or borrow a bunch from neighbors and friends.
Here’s a plan of action to help you with a large party:
- Select casseroles that can be easily prepared in advance. This chapter offers many ideas.
- Read through the recipe ahead of time and note everything that must be purchased or borrowed.
- If many of the recipes you choose include similar ingredients, say lots of chopped onions or garlic, consider chopping enough for all of the recipes. You can do that a day in advance, which will make the assembly a lot easier.
- Consider food safety. When you are preparing large quantities of food, the chances for food spoilage are multiplied. Be extra careful when handling meat, fish, and dairy products. Keep hot things hot and cold things cold. Remember that the types of bacteria that can contaminate food and make people sick grow in food at temperatures between 45 and 140°F.
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SOUR CREAM AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM CASSEROLE
CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS
FINNISH CABBAGE ROLLS (KAALIKÄÄRYLEET)
BREAKFAST HAM AND CHEESE STRATA
KARELIAN HOT POT (KARJALAN PAISTI)
MASHED POTATO AND CREAM CHEESE CASSEROLE FOR A CROWD
MUSHROOM AND PINE NUT MEAT LOAF
POTATOES AND GREEN ONION GRATIN
POTATOES AND MUSHROOMS IN PHYLLO CRUST
SMOKED SALMON AND DILL CASSEROLE
TURKEY-NOODLE CASSEROLE FOR A CROWD
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Assemble this casserole ahead of time if you wish, but bake it just before serving. It’s absolutely a perfect one to tote to a potluck, as well. I have even frozen it 2 weeks before our holiday family buffet, and nobody knew the difference. Most potato casseroles frozen in advance have a telltale flavor and texture that give the secret away, but not this one.
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8 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (about 1 pound)
2 cups sour cream
6 slices bacon, cut into
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2
-inch pieces
2 bunches chopped green onions (white and green parts)
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- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain, spread out in the baking dish, and top with the cheese and sour cream.
- In a medium nonstick skillet, cook the bacon until crisp over medium-high heat. Drain the bacon on paper towels, and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the green onions to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Sprinkle the bacon and green onions over the casserole. (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the dish for up to 1 day. Or you can wrap it well and
freeze it
. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.) - Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
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NOTE:
To freeze, place a piece of waxed paper down on top of the potato mixture, then wrap in a double layer of foil, so it’s airtight.
Think of this casserole when there are kids in the crowd. Simple accompaniments will go over well, like raw vegetable sticks and toasted French bread slices. Assemble the casserole in advance, if you like, and refrigerate.
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2 pounds ground beef
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2
cup diced onion
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cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14
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2
ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup water
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cup chopped fresh parsley
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2
teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
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2
teaspoons sugar
2 small bay leaves
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2
pound angel hair pasta or spaghetti
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2
cups shredded Cheddar cheese
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2
cups shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Crumble the beef into a large skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the fat. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, water, parsley, seasoning, salt, sugar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with a third of the meat sauce. Add half of the pasta in an even layer, and sprinkle with
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2
cup of each cheese. Cover with another third of the meat sauce and the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining sauce and
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2
cup of each cheese. - Bake for 30 minutes. Top the casserole with the remaining
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2
cup Cheddar and
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2
cup mozzarella cheese. Return it to the oven, and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes. Cut into squares before serving.
Here’s a great party dish that lends itself to a fiesta theme. I like a fresh orange and jicama salad with this, dressed simply with oil, vinegar, and a pinch of chili powder.
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil or cooking spray
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped