Creative Comfort Casseroles
Baked garlic chicken casserole
2 T. unsalted butter
1 T. vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Tabasco
1/2 c. mayonnaise
4 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
1/8 c. finely chopped garlic
1 sleeve crackers, crushed.
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the oil. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season the mixture with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Remove from the heat and stir in the mayonnaise, chicken and garlic.
Transfer the chicken mixture to a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Scatter the crushed crackers on top. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the casserole is golden and bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
1 stick unsalted butter
2 T. chopped sage
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
One 1/2-pound baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound wheat fetticine, cut into 6-by-1 1/2-inch strips
1 small head of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced (6 packed cups)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
5 ounces imported Fontina cheese, shredded
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
2 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small skillet, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter with the sage, poppy seeds and caraway seeds and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until nutty and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potato and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potato to a bowl. Add the pasta to the pot and cook, stirring, until al dente, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to a colander. Add the cabbage to the pot and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain the cabbage and shake out the excess water. Pour off the water and return the cabbage to the pot, along with the pasta and potato. Add the browned butter, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Stir in 1 cup of the Fontina and half of the Parmigiano and transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
In the small skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the bread crumbs and parsley and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden and toasted, 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining Fontina and Parmigiano and sprinkle over the pasta. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve hot.
Shepherd's Pie
2 T. vegetable oil
3 pounds ground lamb
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 T. salted butter
1 large onion, cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 large celery ribs, cut into 1/3-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. thyme leaves
1/4 c. water
2 T. tomato paste
1/4 c. plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 quart beef stock
POTATO TOPPING
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. heavy cream
3 T. unsalted butter, softened
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
3 stems parsley
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
Freshly grated nutmeg
2 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
3 large garlic cloves, halved
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Set a colander over a bowl. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the lamb, season with salt and pepper and brown over high heat, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Transfer the lamb to the colander; wipe out the casserole.
Melt the butter in the casserole. Add the onion, turnips, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and water and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes.
Return the lamb to the casserole. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle with the flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the lamb to eight 1 1/2-cup ramekins or gratin dishes. Let cool.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, butter, oil, parsley, bay leaf, thyme and a pinch of nutmeg and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water. Add the garlic and a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat until the potatoes are tender, 12 minutes; drain. Return the potatoes and garlic to the saucepan and shake over high heat until dry. Pass the potatoes and garlic through a ricer into a large bowl. Strain the milk mixture over the potatoes and stir it in. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 20 minutes, until the filling is bubbling. Preheat the broiler. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, until browned. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Salt
1 c orzo
12 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
10 ounces baby spinach
1 c. red bell pepper minced
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs
1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
1/2 c. milk
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned, 8 minutes. Add the leeks and cook until tender, 8 minutes. Add the leek mixture to the orzo, leaving 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet. Add the spinach and red bell to the skillet and cook until spinach is wilted; transfer to a colander and press out the excess liquid. Add the spinach to the orzo, fold in the feta and season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the yogurt and milk, season with pepper and stir into the orzo. Scrape the mixture into an oiled 12-by-8-inch baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes, until the eggs are set and the top is browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Baked Orecchiette with Pork Sugo
In Italian cuisine, a sugo is a gravy or sauce. Braised pork shoulder (until it almost falls apart,) shredded in a food processor and mixed with a red-wine-and-tomato sauce.
3 1/4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
4 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 c. dry red wine
4 thyme sprigs
5 c. chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 T. chopped oregano
1 T, chopped sage
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds orecchiette
2 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (7 ounces)
Season the pork with salt and pepper. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the pork in a single layer and cook over moderately high heat until the pieces are golden brown all over, about 12 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook until softened and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer. Add the red wine, sage, and thyme sprigs and cook over high heat until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the pork is very tender, about 2 hours.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork and vegetables to a food processor; discard the thyme sprigs. Pulse just until the pork is shredded. Scrape the shredded pork and vegetables back into the casserole. Stir in the chopped parsley, oregano and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orecchiette until it is still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes; drain well. Add the orecchiette to the casserole and toss with the pork sauce. Scrape the pasta into a very large baking dish and sprinkle all over with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake the casserole in the upper third of the oven for about 35 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbling. Let the baked pasta stand for 10 minutes before serving.
One 2-pound butternut squash—peeled, seeded and sliced 1 inch thick
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
1/3 c. pine nuts
1 T. Tabasco
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. dried sage, crumbled
1/4 tsp. chervil leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 c. water
2 c. coarse polenta
Unsalted butter
4 ounces smoked Gouda, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 c. plus 2 T. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 375°. Arrange the squash on a large oiled baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until tender. Transfer the squash to a bowl and mash coarsely. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups.) Spread the pine nuts on a pie plate and toast in the oven for 4 minutes, until golden. Coarsely chop the nuts.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, chervil, and sage and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, 25 minutes; add a few tablespoons of water if the onion looks dry.
In a saucepan, bring the 6 cups of water to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, Tabasco and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter along with the mashed squash, pine nuts, onion, Gouda and half of the grated Parmigiano cheese. Pour the hot polenta into a buttered large cast-iron skillet. Flatten the top of the polenta slightly without spreading it to the edges; refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.
Rub the surface of the polenta with softened butter and sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmigiano cheese. Bake in a 375° oven for 1 hour, until the top and side are lightly browned and crisp. Let stand for 20 minutes before cutting it into wedges. Serve with sauteed mushroom
4 T. butter
2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 tsp. salt
3/4 pound farfalle-bow tie pasta
1/4 pound fontina, grated (about 1 cup)
3 ounces mozzarella, grated (about 3/4 cup)
6 T. grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
1 tsp. basil
In a medium frying pan, melt one tablespoon of the butter over moderately low heat. Add the bell peppers and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
Heat the broiler. Butter a large shallow baking dish.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the farfalle until just done, about 5 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot. Toss the pasta with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and 3/4 teaspoon salt, the sauteed bell peppers, the fontina, mozzarella, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, basil, and the black pepper.
Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Broil until the top starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with additional Parmesan.
Cuban Beef Casserole with Corn
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
2 1/2 pounds ground beef
4 tomatoes—halved crosswise, seeded and diced
1 c. frozen corn
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1/2 c. pitted pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped
1/2 c. golden raisins
1 apple, peeled & cored, chopped (optional)
In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and red and green peppers and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, cumin, oregano, cinnamon and cloves and cook over moderate heat until the tomatoes just start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the olives, apple, raisins, corn, and 1/2 cup of water and season with salt and pepper. Scrape the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is bubbling.
Topping: 1/4 c. chopped scallions, 1 c. Parmesan, 2 c. plain breadcrumbs
Add topping, stir, and bake additional 10 minutes.
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