Revisiting the casserole
Casseroles are homey and comforting and somehow fit perfectly into our hectic fall schedules. You can make them ahead and bake them later, or enjoy leftovers for lunch at the office. Some even freeze well, waiting patiently for a busy winter Saturday.
Those are my favorites because having meals in the freezer somehow makes me feel ahead of the game. And that feeling is getting harder to come by with every passing year.
Salsa Chicken and Rice Bake Sometimes I roast a chicken even though I plan to dine alone because nothing else will do for Sunday dinner. The problem is what to do with all the leftovers. Once I’ve eaten a hot plate twice I can’t go it again so recipes to use up the rest of the carcass are critical.
If you like red salsa more than green feel free to substitute, but the tomatillo-based variety is better in this dish. It offers a more acidic and flavor-packed base.
Add any vegetables you like but don’t pick things that will end up uncooked or mushy. I find corn the perfect texture with just the right sweet note.
If you don’t care for cilantro leave it out or substitute parsley. If you do that, however, don’t add the parsley stalks to the fried mixture because they can be bitter.
I know plenty of Internet recipes tell you to add raw chicken breasts but they are not reliable enough for me. You can use cooked but they can end up a bit rubbery. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are the best cuts to use because they retain their moistness, even though they start out already cooked.
If you don’t want to crack open a new container of chicken broth I understand, but you will need an additional pinch of salt.
This amount makes four servings but double or triple the recipe as you like. The trick to getting the baking time right is using a large, shallow dish. If it’s too deep you will end up with gummy bits and some rice in the middle that is hard. 1 large stalk celery, thinly sliced 1 small yellow onion, diced
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 handful fresh cilantro, divided ½ tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups bottled green salsa
1 cup chicken broth
½ tsp. each ground cumin, chili powder and dried oregano
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice, divided
1-1/2 cups frozen and thawed or drained canned corn
4 cooked and cooled chicken thighs, skin and bones removed 1 cup shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese, or a mixture
Fry celery and onion in oil until soft and starting to brown. Add garlic and cook another minute.
Cut the stalks off the cilantro and mince them finely. Add to the vegetable mixture and cook another minute. Stir in salt, pepper, salsa, broth, cumin, chili powder and oregano. Set aside.
Place half the raw rice in an even layer in the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with half the corn. Pour over half the salsa mixture. Coarsely chop or tear up the chicken and place evenly in the baking dish.
Repeat the layers—remaining rice, corn and salsa mixture.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees F 1 hour. Dig out a small spoonful right in the middle and test to make sure the rice is just about cooked. If the mixture is dry and the rice still firm pour another ¼ cup of broth or water over the top and cook another 15 minutes.
Top with cheese and bake uncovered 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Chop reserved cilantro leaves and sprinkle on top to serve. Lamb and Beef Shepherd’s Pie It’s called shepherd’s pie for a reason but if your family prefers beef or just doesn’t like lamb feel free to substitute. You will be missing out, though. If you don’t know whether your family likes lamb this is the perfect place to introduce it because the beef mellows out the flavor.
My favourite greens are beet tops, and this time of year I seek out big bunches of beets with the greenery still attached, but any greens you like—or none at all—will work fine here.
This amount makes eight nice servings but leftovers are great and microwave perfectly so make lots. 1 lb. lean ground lamb
½ lb. lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp. ground allspice
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 small turnip
3 medium carrots
1 medium bunch beet tops
4 or 5 medium potatoes
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup milk, heated nearly to boiling Fry lamb and beef with onion in a large pan over medium heat until meat is cooked through and onion is soft. Add garlic and rosemary and cook another minute. Drain and discard fat.
Push the meat to one side and add tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until it is dark and very thick. Add salt, pepper, allspice and flour and stir briskly to combine. Whisk in the broth and cook, stirring, 10 minutes. Mixture should be thick and smooth. Remove from heat and add Worcestershire sauce. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Spread evenly in the bottom of a casserole dish.
Peel and cook turnip and carrots. Mash coarsely and spread over meat.
Chop the stalky parts of the beet tops and cook in boiling salted water for five minutes. Add coarsely chopped greens and boil until tender, about five minutes longer. Drain thoroughly and spread on top of carrot and turnip mixture. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and mash with butter and milk. Spoon on top of greens and spread to completely cover. Bake at 350 degrees F 30 minutes or until the meat and gravy layer is bubbling up around the sides and potatoes are puffy and starting to brown. Cool 10 minutes before serving.