Casseroles break out from their flavor rut
Casseroles break from their flavor rut while remaining accessible, efficient and freezable
You needn’t think of casseroles as troughs laden with cream-ofsomething canned soup and offthe-shelf components. Casseroles can showcase fresh ingredients, dishes rich in flavor as well as convenience. They can be assembled in advance and lend themselves to dividing between two pans, one to bake and one to freeze. Flexible and foolproof.
According to “The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink” (Oxford, $125), casseroles of one sort or another have been around since prehistoric times, adding that they took on a distinctive American identity along the way. Many ingredients were scarce during World War I, and leftovers were turned into casserole meals. The same was true during the Great Depression of the ’30s. But for many, it’s the ubiquitous tuna-potato chip casserole of the ’50s or the holiday green bean casserole that comes to mind. Or maybe a ground meat and Tater Tot concoction.
Prepare to be amazed with the delicious casseroles that these updated recipes will yield.
Cauliflower and Pasta Shell Ccasserole
Ina Garten, cookbook author and host of Food Network’s “Barefoot Contessa,” knows how to show off these lightly browned florets to their best advantage in this delicious casserole from her book “Cooking for Jeffrey” (Clarkson Potter, $35).
Yield: 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3⁄4 pound medium pasta shells Olive oil
2 1⁄2 pounds cauliflower, cut into small florets (1 large head), divided use
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage leaves, see cook’s notes
2 tablespoons capers, drained 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1⁄2 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1⁄4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 cups freshly grated Italian fontina cheese, lightly packed (10 ounces with rind), see cook’s notes 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk ricotta 1⁄2 cup panko breadcrumbs 6 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese, see cook’s notes 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Cook’s notes: I use fresh basil instead of sage when my garden overflows with basil. I can’t always find the Italian-made fontina; I have substituted domestic fontina and it is still delicious and less expensive. To grate Pecorino, place cubes in food processor bowl and grind with the steel blade. To make this dish ahead, assemble without panko topping, cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Top with panko and bake before serving.
DIRECTIONS
1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill large pot with water; add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to boil on high heat. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package directions. Since it will be baked later, be sure not to overcook. Drain and pour into large bowl.
2: Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large (12-inch), deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the cauliflower in one layer and cook for 5-6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until florets are lightly browned and tender. Pour into bowl with pasta, including any small bits. Add 3 more tablespoons oil and cook remaining florets until browned and tender; add to bowl. 3: Add sage or basil, capers, garlic, lemon zest, pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper; gently toss. Stir in fontina. Transfer half of mixture to a 10-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish. Spoon rounded tablespoons of ricotta on pasta and spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top. In a small bowl, combine panko, Pecorino, parsley and 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle it evenly on top. Bake 25-30 minutes, until browned and crusty on top and mixture is thoroughly heated.
Cheese and Chicken (or corn) Enchilada Casserole
I learned to make this layered enchilada dish while taking cooking classes at The Santa Fe School of Cooking in New Mexico. In class, we make the enchilada sauces from scratch. I’ve adapted the recipe to use store-bought sauce. Yield: 10-12 servings
INGREDIENTS
Vegetable oil, for greasing pan 3 1⁄2 cups red or green prepared enchilada sauce
About 18 corn tortillas
4 cups cooked chicken (boned, skinned, shredded) or 3 cups corn kernels
1 1⁄2 pounds (6 cups) grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (or a combination of both)
1 1⁄2 cups finely diced yellow onions
Garnishes: 2 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce, 1 1⁄2 cups diced tomatoes, 1 1⁄4 cups sour cream
DIRECTIONS
1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with vegetable oil.
2: Spread about 1 cup sauce over bottom of pan and layer 6 tortillas evenly over sauce (they will overlap). If using chicken, toss chicken with about 3 tablespoons sauce. Spread half of chicken over tortillas. If using corn, spread half of corn over tortillas.
3: Sprinkle with one-third of cheese and half of the onion. Repeat, layering half of remaining tortillas, remaining onion and half of remaining sauce. Using a spatula or back of a spoon, spread out sauce over tortillas. Add remaining chicken and half of remaining cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, remaining sauce (spreading sauce to cover tortillas) and remaining cheese.
4: Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.
5: To serve, spoon portions onto dinner plates. Garnish with shredded lettuce and diced tomato and top with sour cream.
Penne Casserole With Spicy Tomato Sauce
Cookbook author Betty Rosbottom details a wide variety of one-dish concoctions in “Sunday Casseroles” (Chronicle). My favorite is this pasta dish adrift in a spicy, chunky tomato sauce. A duo of cheese sets a welcome counterpoint to the sauce, creamy Havarti and Parmesan. Black kalamata olives add a just-right salty accent. The author suggests rigatoni but I use any small, tubeshaped pasta.
Yield: 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
1 1⁄2 cups chopped onions
1 tsp finely chopped garlic Three 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained
2 tsp dried basil leaves or 1 1⁄2 T finely chopped fresh basil
1 tsp dried red pepper flakes Salt and black pepper
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 pound dried rigatoni, large macaroni, or penne pasta
2 1⁄2 cups shredded Havarti cheese, see cook’s notes
1⁄3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano 1⁄3 cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives
Garnish: 1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh basil or Italian parsley Cook’s notes: Grating Havarti is easier if the cheese is very cold; put it in the freezer for 10 minutes before grating.
DIRECTIONS
1: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy frying pan set over mediumhigh heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic; saute, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper and stir well. Add the broth and bring to a low boil.
2: Cook until the liquid has reduced and mixture is chunky, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and add more salt and red pepper flakes, if desired.
3: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and place the pasta in it. Toss the pasta with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil; taste and season with more salt if needed.
4: Add the warm tomato sauce to the pasta; toss well to combine. Add the Havarti and toss again. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top. Arrange the olives over the pasta.
5: Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the pasta, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with basil or parsley.