The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (31 page)

Perfect for a country lunch, this barbecue is easy to serve. Thinly slice the cooked meat and serve the slices in buns. The flavor improves if you make the brisket a day ahead.

•••••

¹
/
₂
cup cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Few drops of hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon mixed pickling spices

¹
/
₂
cup tomato ketchup

1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 boneless beef brisket (4 to 4
¹
/
₂
pounds)

Buttered buns for serving

Mustard for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, garlic, oil, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, brown sugar, pickling spices, ketchup, mustard, and salt. Simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat.
   
3. Put the meat in a 3-quart heavy Dutch oven. Pour the sauce over the beef, cover, and bake for 2
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   hours, or until the meat is very tender. Cool.
   
4. Slice the meat thinly and return to the sauce. Cover and bake for 1 hour longer. Serve the slices in buttered buns and offer mustard.
   

After a couple of hours in the oven, beef short ribs are baked to tenderness. Serve with coleslaw to round out the meal.

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¹
/
₃
cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

3 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 2
¹
/
₂
-inch pieces

2 cups hot beef broth,
homemade
or prepared

2 large onions, sliced

Hot noodles, cooked according to package directions, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and paprika. Add the short ribs and shake to coat them with the flour mixture.
   
2. Place the ribs in the prepared pan so there is space between them. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, turning 3 times during the baking to brown on all sides. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325°F.
   
3. Transfer the ribs to a 2-quart casserole. Pour the hot broth over the ribs and top with the onions. Bake, covered, for 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   to 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Transfer the ribs to a warm serving platter.
   
4. Toss the cooked noodles in the hot juices in the casserole. Garnish everything with parsley and serve the ribs and noodles together.
   

This chuck steak marinates for at least 2 hours, or overnight, so plan accordingly. The marinade lends the beef a flavor reminiscent of a German sauerbraten.

•••••

¹
/
₂
cup cider vinegar

1
¹
/
₂
cups water

2 teaspoons whole allspice

1 boneless beef chuck roast, about 2 inches thick (about 3 to 4 pounds)

3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

3 medium onions, cut into eighths

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried sage

6 medium thin-skinned potatoes, peeled

6 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

•••••

1. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, and allspice and bring to a boil. Put the meat in a deep bowl and pour the marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning once or twice. Drain, reserving the marinade.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
3. Place a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat and heat the oil. Brown the meat and onions, turning the meat several times. Remove from the heat and add the reserved marinade, salt, and sage.
   
4. Cover and bake for 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   hours. Add the potatoes and carrots, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the meat is done. Slice the meat thinly and serve with the vegetables.
   

Plan to have leftover roast beef or pork—which we call doing a “planover”—so you can make this pie. Serve with ice-cold Mexican beer.

•••••

4 tablespoons butter, divided, plus extra for the dish

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

2 cups chopped cooked beef or pork roast

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

1 can (15 to 16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 cup chopped ripe olives

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups cold water

³
/
₄
cup yellow cornmeal

¹
/
₂
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₄
teaspoon paprika

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 2
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   - to 3-quart casserole.
   
2. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and add the onion and zucchini. Sauté, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is tender. Stir in the meat, chiles, beans, corn, tomato sauce, olives, and chili powder. Transfer the mixture to the casserole and set aside.
   
3. In a medium saucepan, stir the water, cornmeal, and salt together and cook over medium-high heat until thickened. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
   
4. Spread the cornmeal mixture over the meat mixture and sprinkle with the paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until the cornmeal crust is lightly browned and the filling bubbles up around the edges. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
   

It isn’t Christmas in Finland without this classic casserole. Liver doesn’t appeal to many Americans, but it is really delicious served with melted butter and lingonberry preserves.

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2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish

3 cups cooked rice

2
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/
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cups milk

1 large egg, beaten

1 medium onion, chopped

¹
/
₄
cup dark corn syrup

3 teaspoons salt

¹
/
₂
teaspoon white pepper

¹
/
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teaspoon ground marjoram

1 cup raisins

1 pound liver, sliced, then finely chopped

Melted butter for serving

Lingonberry preserves for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.
   
2. Mix the rice, milk, and egg in a large bowl.
   
3. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and brown the onion in it. Add to the rice and milk mixture. Stir in the corn syrup, salt, pepper, marjoram, and raisins. Add the liver and pour into the buttered casserole.
   
4. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the casserole is set. Serve hot with melted butter and lingonberry preserves.
   

Less tender cuts of beef, such as eye of round beefsteaks, cook to delicious succulence over a long and slow baking time. This is a great meal for a day when there is no time for attending to last-minute cooking.

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1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 eye of round beefsteaks (3 to 4 ounces each)

2 large onions, sliced

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 pound baby carrots

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered

¹
/
₂
pound green beans

1 large can (28 ounces) cut tomatoes with their juice

2 cups beef broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic, minced

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Brown the steaks quickly on both sides and set aside.
   
2. Put the onions in the bottom of a deep 3-quart casserole in one layer. In layers, scatter the mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, and green beans over the onions. Place the steaks on top.
   
3. Pour the tomatoes with their juice, and then the beef broth, over the steaks. Add the bay leaf and sprinkle with garlic.
   
4. Cover the casserole tightly and bake for 8 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Add extra water during cooking if the casserole seems dry. Drain the juices into a saucepan and boil until reduced and thickened. Pour the gravy over the meat and vegetables and serve.
   

In this recipe, tube-shaped mostaccioli are layered with beef and topped off with a white sauce before baking. For extra nutrition I like to use whole-wheat pasta.

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FOR THE BEEF LAYER:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

3 to 4 cups chopped cooked beef

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/
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teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

FOR THE SAUCE:

3 tablespoons butter

¹
/
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cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk, heated

¹
/
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teaspoon salt

Dash of white pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

¹
/
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cup grated Parmesan cheese

FOR THE PASTA LAYER:

¹
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pound whole-wheat mostaccioli or elbow macaroni

2 large eggs

2 cups coarsely shredded Cheddar cheese

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 2
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   -quart casserole with cooking spray.
   
2. To make the beef layer:
   Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the onion and garlic. Sauté over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Stir in the beef, cinnamon, and tomato sauce and set aside.
   
3. To make the sauce:
   Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the flour. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring, until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
   
4. To make the pasta layer:
   Cook the mostaccioli in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain well and return to the pot. Whisk in the eggs.
   
5. Spread half the mostaccioli in the bottom of the casserole, all of the meat mixture, and then half the Cheddar cheese. Top with the remaining mostaccioli, and then all of the white sauce. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar cheese on top. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to to 1 day. Add 10 minutes to the baking time.)
   
6. Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned around the edges.
   

This homey casserole begins with cut-up leftover roast beef and gravy, which are topped with leftover mashed potatoes and a shower of Cheddar cheese. Think of it as comfort food in a casserole.

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2
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to 3 cups finely chopped roast beef

¹
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cup finely chopped onion

1 cup roast beef gravy or prepared brown gravy

2 tablespoons dry white wine

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teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

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teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

¹
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to 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

¹
/
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teaspoon pepper

Beef broth or water, if needed

2 cups cooked mashed potatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 large egg

¹
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to 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion, gravy, wine, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir in beef broth or water if the mixture seems dry (it should have the texture of a meat loaf mixture before it is shaped and baked).
   
3. Put the beef mixture in a shallow 2-quart casserole. Combine the mashed potatoes with the butter and egg in a medium bowl. Mix well and then spread over the meat mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.