The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (20 page)

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2
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tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cardamom pod

1 whole clove

1 cinnamon stick

4 medium onions (about 1 pound total), chopped

3 tablespoons chopped garlic

3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon chili powder

1
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medium tomatoes, chopped

2 cups plain yogurt

1
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cups plus 3 tablespoons water

1 cup basmati rice

Salt

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon butter

1 bunch fresh mint, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
   
2. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cardamom pod, clove, and cinnamon stick, and sauté for 1 minute until aromatic. Stir in the chopped onions, and sauté until golden brown. Stir in the garlic and ginger and the chicken pieces, and fry for about 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook for about 5 minutes. Mix the yogurt with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl, and stir into the sauce.
   
3. Cover the pot, and bake until the sauce is somewhat thickened and concentrated, about 15 minutes.
   
4. Put the remaining water in a medium saucepan. Rinse the rice well and add to the water. Heat the water to boiling, lower the heat, and simmer the rice for about 7 minutes; it will be only partly cooked.
   
5. Stir the rice with the water into the chicken and sauce. Taste and add salt. Stir in the lemon juice and butter, cover the pot, and bake for 30 minutes. Discard the cardamom pod, clove, and cinnamon stick before serving. Sprinkle with chopped mint and cilantro.
   

The basic recipe for this curry sounded good to me, so I decided to put everything together in a casserole. The potatoes broke down into a nice thickener for the juices, which we sopped up with some crusty French bread.

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2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon red or green
Thai curry paste

3 large potatoes, peeled and shredded

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, cut up (see
Lemongrass
)

2 stalks celery, chopped

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into eighths (about 1
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pounds total)

1 can (14 ounces) Thai unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the peanut oil, and add the garlic, onion, curry powder, curry paste, potatoes, carrots, lemongrass, and celery. Cook, stirring, until aromatic.
   
3. Add the chicken breast pieces and stir to coat well. Pour the coconut milk and chicken broth over all and stir to coat the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   
4. Cover and bake for 1 hour, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Sprinkle generously with chopped fresh cilantro.
   

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NOTES:
Thai curry paste is available in the Asian section of most large supermarkets as well as in Asian markets.

Lemongrass has long, thin, gray-green leaves and a woody base. It lends food a sour-lemon flavor and fragrance similar to the citrus oil that is in lemon zest. Lemongrass also goes by the name “citronella root.” To trim the lemongrass, cut the leaves off of the woody base. Then peel away the papery leaves wrapped tightly around the base and use the white core.

This make-ahead casserole is perfect for easy entertaining. Chicken breasts bathed with a lemon and sherry cream sauce are topped with crunchy cornflakes and almonds. Add sliced tomatoes and a green salad to the menu. A cake topped with fresh strawberries would be a lovely dessert.

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3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds total)

2 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

1 large bunch (about 2 pounds) fresh broccoli, trimmed, stems peeled

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons dry sherry

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cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

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cup whipping cream, whipped until soft peaks form

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

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cup cornflakes

2 tablespoons melted butter

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cup sliced almonds

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
   
2. Place the chicken breasts into a skillet and add the 2 cups water and the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside in the water.
   
3. Put the broccoli into a saucepan, add water to cover, and heat to boiling. Continue boiling for 6 to 8 minutes, until just tender. Drain and arrange the broccoli in a single layer in the baking dish.
   
4. Remove the chicken from the skillet and strain the broth. Lay the chicken over the broccoli. Return the strained broth to the pan and boil until reduced to 1 cup.
   
5. In a saucepan, melt the 3 tablespoons butter and stir in the flour. Whisk in the reduced broth and the milk and cook until the sauce is thickened. Whisk in the sherry, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and tarragon. Fold in the whipped cream and
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   cup of the Parmesan cheese.
   
6. Spread the sauce over the chicken and top with the remaining
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   cup Parmesan cheese. (The dish can be assembled ahead up to this point and refrigerated for up to 1 day. After adding the topping, bake for an additional 10 minutes.)
   
7. Toss the cornflakes in the melted butter and sprinkle over the casserole. Top with the almonds. Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and the top of the casserole is lightly browned.
   

Orzo looks like rice but cooks quickly like pasta, which is what it is. It’s available in both white and mixed vegetable colors.

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1 cup orzo, white or colored, cooked according to package directions

1 recipe
Basic Mushroom Sauce
, or 1 can (10 ounces) cream of mushroom soup

¹
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cup milk

2 cups cooked chicken, or 1 can (13 ounces) chicken or turkey breast, drained and cut up

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cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried

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cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter, melted

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a shallow 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the breadcrumbs and butter. Turn into the casserole dish. Mix the breadcrumbs and melted butter and top the casserole with the crumbs. (At this point the dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.) Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crumbs are browned and the casserole is bubbly.
   

Pastry crisscrossed over a savory mixture of chicken and onions makes this a soul-satisfying casserole.

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5 tablespoons butter

1 large sweet onion, diced

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cup all-purpose flour

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 tablespoon chicken broth base

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cup dry white wine

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teaspoon pepper

3 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

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cup finely chopped pecans, toasted (see
Toasting Pecans
)

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cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 recipe
Flaky Pastry

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1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a shallow 2-quart casserole using about 2 teaspoons of the butter.
   
2. In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat and add the onion. Sauté for 20 minutes, or until caramel-colored. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the evaporated milk, chicken broth base, wine, and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken and parsley. Spread out in the casserole and sprinkle with the pecans and Parmesan cheese.
   
3. Prepare the pastry, refrigerate for 30 minutes, and roll out to
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   -inch thickness. Cut into 1-inch-wide strips and arrange them in a lattice design over the filling. Reserve any scraps and roll out into additional strips.
   
4. Bake the casserole for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Put any extra rolled-out strips on a cookie sheet and bake during the last 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with the cobbler.
   

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NOTE:
To toast the pecans, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread out the nuts on a baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until aromatic and lightly browned.

This is an “assemble ahead and bake later” dish. In Minnesota, where we call casseroles “hot dishes,” it’s a convenient choice for hockey moms, who spend the last minutes before dinnertime providing taxi service for their kids.

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cup (1 stick), plus 2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish

1 package (8 ounces) egg noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained

¹
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cup flour

2 cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

2 cups light cream or half-and-half

2 teaspoons salt

Dash of pepper

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teaspoon dried sage

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

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pound mushrooms, sliced

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cup chopped red bell pepper

2 cups diced cooked chicken

2 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

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cup fine dry breadcrumbs

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole. Spread out the cooked noodles evenly over the bottom of the casserole.
   
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the
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   cup butter and add the flour. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is bubbly and slowly add the chicken broth and cream. Cook, stirring, until thickened and smooth. Add the salt, pepper, sage, peas, mushrooms, bell pepper, and chicken.
   
3. Pour the mixture evenly over the noodles. Sprinkle with the cheese. Mix the breadcrumbs and the 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle over the casserole. (At this point the dish can be covered and refrigerated for several hours. Add 10 minutes to the baking time.)
   
4. Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes, until bubbly.
   

Cream cheese is the basis of the sauce in this creamy noodle casserole. We like this with a marinated cucumber and tomato salad and freshly baked
Rosemary and Parmesan Casserole Bread
.

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1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

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cup sour cream

2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey

3 cups broccoli florets, cooked until crisp-tender

1 package (8 ounces) whole-wheat egg noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives