BS: American Casserole

Subject: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 17 May 14 - 04:11 AM

Another food thread for those of you across the ocean.

In the UK and other parts of the world, a 'casserole' is a large, round, deep-sided, heavy pan with a lid that goes in the oven; it can be made of cast iron, stainless steel, or be enamelled.

Typically a casserole is used to cook rich meaty stew like dishes such as 'lamb casserole' or 'beef casserole' which - as you may gather - are named after the cooking dish itself. See here: British style 'beef casserole'

Since using the internet for recipe searches I've discovered that in the US, a casserole means something very different to you folk. They appear to be baked in wide, shallow, lid-less 'gratin' dishes and are comprised of stuff like eggs, cheese and bread.

I'd like to understand more of what makes an American style casserole.
And what in particular is a 'breakfast casserole'?
Any family favourites or anecdotes to share?

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 17 May 14 - 09:40 AM

In our house (not in America) a breakfast "casserole, called a strata here, consists of eggs, milk, cubes of bread, sliced cooked sausage or bacon and grated cheese. It is made the night before and popped into the cooker first thing in the morning. There are a number of variations of this to be found on youtube.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 May 14 - 11:36 AM

Usually an "American Casserole" (or "hot dish" in some places) consists of a meat thing (ground beef, for example), a starch thing (noodles, pasta), a vegetable thing (canned peas and carrots if you want to gag your guests) and a cheese thing (canned cheese sauce to really make them sick and never come back for another meal you cook).

For example: tuna packed in water and well drained, an undiluted can of cream of celery soup, with crushed potato chips ("crisps" to the you UKers) sprinkled liberally on top and baked.

They were developed as meals which could be made quickly and cheaply -- and they can and are also be made from fresh ingredients. "Strata" is also made here.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 17 May 14 - 12:18 PM

I have seldom seen baked dishes done with tinned soup, usually a white sauce or cheese sauce is made. Also, I think it is only in America where Lasagna is made with cottage cheese, but I could be wrong.
While we are on the subject of cooked breakfast, here is a popular one where I live, it can be done in the oven but most people do it in a cast iron pan..saute onions and tomatoes and a wee bit of garlic, add salt and pepper to taste, when the tomatoes have broken down, crack four eggs into the pan..do NOT break the yolks...gently move tomatoes away from the eggs..cook until yolks set and the eggs are "poached". Some people put this in the oven when the eggs are added. If you do this , watch it carefully.
oh, I am way off track...sorry.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Musket
Date: 17 May 14 - 12:30 PM

Even worse, you can spray the cheese on.....

I live in The UK but have spent quite a bit of time in The US, and I find lots of casseroles, usually called hot pots or even just stews (but resembling what I would call a casserole) around Boston MA.

Quite possibly due to the Irish connections.

Crushing crisps and sprinkling on top... I had a girlfriend whose lasagne had a layer of crushed ready salted crisps in it. She reckoned it was a traditional thing in Wales. I pointed out so is Pot Noodle.

Nowadays, although I will buy stewing steak and make a Guinness casserole from time to time, most slow cook meals tend to be curry in one form or another. I'm about to marinade some lamb chops overnight to make a recipe from Rick Stein's Indian Odyssey tomorrow.

Anyway, Hull are winning so more important things to do. I've got £20.00 at 12/1 to be winning at both half time and full time.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 17 May 14 - 12:59 PM

Ah, so a 'breakfast casserole' is more correctly called a 'strata'; which presumably describes how the dish is layered? Sounds intriguing, maybe I'll try it for brunch one weekend. A sort of baked frittata or savoury bread pudding.

I much prefer savoury breakfasts over sweet, we had a huge fry up this morning with hash browns, fried eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and a tin of those mini sausages in baked beans (veggie style), bread and butter - and somewhat unsurprisingly haven't eaten since (though I do have a spud baking in the oven for my supper later.) Another favourite is buttered toasted English muffins (brown for preference) piled with steamed spinach and topped with wobbly yoked poached eggs - I can't bring myself to make the fiddly hollandaise though. And (this will make the hardened carnivores gag) scrambled tofu; sauteed with onions and courgettes and seasoned with chilli powder or garam masala. Oh yes, and I also have a great fondness for vedgeree/kitcheri (or kedgeree without the smoked fish.)

Not really getting too enthused by the idea of a tuna casserole with crisps and tinned soup. I guess it's the kind of thing you might have to do when living in a 'food desert' without access to anything fresh - I've read that due to it's size and spread quite a number of areas within the US suffer from lack of access to fresh food - on other fora I've heard of people talking about driving for over an hour just to go to do a grocery shop, which here in the densely populated UK would be hard to imagine (though if you don't drive and live in a rural area it gets more complicated.)

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 May 14 - 01:02 PM

I always thought casseroles were American-Canadian. Glad to see that they have them in the isles across the sea.

Here's one I like. The flavor can be strong (hot) or weak, depending on your courage. I think I got this from a California recipe book.

1 pound green chili peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces.
1/2 pound old cheddar, shredded.
1/2 pound Monterrey Jack or other semi-soft cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon pure Hatch or Chimayo chili powder (to taste- hot or mild depending on amount)
2-3 eggs, beaten
1 cup (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup milk
2-3 tablespoons flour

Grease casserole dish. Heat oven to 350F. Layer half of green chili on bottom.
Sprinkle on half of mixed cheese. Add rest of green chili.
Mix eggs, milk and flour, mixed, and pour on top.
Bake 30 minutes, take out and add tomato sauce. Bake a further 15 minutes.
Add remaining cheese, heat in oven a couple of minutes. partly melting the cheeses.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 May 14 - 01:16 PM

HiLo, I've made a strata just like you describe here in California, except that we call in "breakfast casserole." It works very well for breakfast for large groups.
Keep the recipes coming HiLo, and don't worry if you stray a bit off topic in a BS thread. We Americans will just turn your recipes into casseroles.
As for me, I live almost entirely on casseroles, since I'm the only carnivore in the family. I make a casserole for dinner, and then eat leftovers every night for a week.
I confess that I often use Hamburger Helper or Rice-A-Roni, heavily augmented, in my casseroles. Stroganoff Hamburger Helper is a standard in my repertoire - augmented with fresh onions and broccoli. I cook most of my casseroles in the microwave.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 May 14 - 01:18 PM

Forgot-
Mix in chili powder with eggs-milk-flour. The 1/2 teaspoon will make it pretty strong. I suggest you use 1/4. The chili powder in the spice racks is mild; it has a lot of filler stuff. If you cannot find pure red chili powder, it will have to do.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 May 14 - 01:35 PM

I think of a casserole in English as pretty much anything that is cooked in the oven in a single pot combining starch, meat and veg, with or without the lid, cheese optional on top for the "au gratin" (in English, again). In French a casserole is the pot itself, and "au gratin" means made crunchy, not cheesy, on top. You can cook in a casserole (in French) on top of the stove, but a casserole (in English) has to be cooked in the oven, I think, you don't stir it while it's cooking like you would if it were on top of the stove.

Are we making sense yet?

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 May 14 - 02:14 PM

Joe, we like this for leftover use. Not a casserole, more like a hot pot stew, but good for non-cooks.

4 cans pinto beans (short-cuts the dried bean delay)
1 pound cured ham shoulder, cut in small pieces
One large yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon pure chili powder (Hatch, Chimayo)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon white pepper
1-2 teaspoons oregano
Chopped celery
1-2 chopped carrots
Water or beef broth to cover. Adjust water to get thickness you like.

Brown the chopped onion. Add rest of stuff and cook till it bubbles.
Add some chopped bell pepper for color. Serve with a good bread.

Store leftover in yogurt containers (we size for about 3 servings) and freeze.
The containers, when needed, can be thawed for a day and contents put in a pot and heated.
Garnish with chopped chives, fresh young onions, etc.

In our garden, we grow an oregano we got from New Mexico, dry and store in jars. The Greek has a different flavor.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 17 May 14 - 02:36 PM

Well, 'in my day' (groan) just after the War, a casserole in England was (and still is in our house anyway) some meat (eg chicken quarters, or cheap-cut of lamb or stewing beef) put into a pot (ours is Pyrex). Add chopped onion, diced carrots, any other veg you may have, especially any that are getting a bit old like me. Add stock (a science in itself, but you can get a stock-cube nowadays) to cover, and a little salt and pepper. Add cubed potato or barley to thicken, put on the well-fitting lid and (most important) it must go in the oven on a very low heat for quite a long time. The beauty of it is, it can sit there in the oven for ages if the diners are late getting home. And reheated the next day it's even more tasty. I have been known to pop in a tiny spoonful of cooking sherry, but that's what my old mum would've called 'messing about with the food'. Post-War cooking was very simple and plain, since many things were still 'on the ration'.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 May 14 - 04:17 PM

Note that I didn't say I ate that sort of casserole! There are many more recipes that are far, far better!

Now as for distance to food: I live in a "rural" area. But I went to the farmers market this morning (nothing much, too early), then to the store where I bought fresh pastry, meat for sandwiches, and similar items. While I have tinned stuff in the cupboard there isn't much of it but the freezer is full of Good Stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Penny S.
Date: 17 May 14 - 05:31 PM

I generally use my slow cooker for casseroles now, rather than the oven. Brown the onions, toss the meat in seasoned flour and brown that, sweat the other veggies - usually root ones, possibly add potato, cover with stock and cook long and slow. Possibly add some red lentils and barley, but if so add more liquid. At the end, about half an hour before serving, I could add dumplings and turn the heat up a bit. Make the dumplings with flour, baking powder, suet and water. Possibly a few herbs. If the meat is venison, I usually add red currant sauce and a slosh of red wine with the stock.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 17 May 14 - 09:25 PM

Google "PWT food" .

American flavorings excell the bland UK "toad in the hole" seasonings.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Give me French for cooking ... in the classic joke about heaven and hell ... there is a founded reason why Hell has cooks from Britain.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 18 May 14 - 02:19 AM

UK cooking is bland, but that's how it always was. No spices or fancy flavours. My husband can't bear the lack of strong flavour, and (to my utter disgust) sprinkles chilli flakes and curry powder all over his meal if it was cooked by me. When he cooks (3 or 4 times a week) he adds a host of spices and strange peppers such as Scotch bonnets (!) and if you dare to put a tiny bit of his meal on your lips they'd burn and sting for ages. How his stomach copes with it I don't know. I find good plain English casseroles very digestible and healthy, which is a factor if you're elderly and get heartburn!

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 18 May 14 - 03:14 AM

The story about your husband's seasoning kit, made me smile Eliza! You must have seen the infamous 'going for an English' sketch: "What's the blandest thing on the menu?"

Off topic ramble..

I like simple and I like spicy, both are good
their own way. Plain foods are good when the basic ingredients are good - and when those good basic ingredients are treated simply but well.

Roast potatoes are plain, but do them lovely and golden crispy on the outside and steamy and creamy in the middle and they are fab. Mine are like toffee apples (deep gold and crunchy) because I let the par-boiled spuds rest in the oil for a while before roasting (par-boil spuds, drain and return to pan, drizzle over cooking oil (I use Cartino) and replace lid for up to half an hour prior to roasting.) It must make them horribly fatty of course, but not in a grim oozy way, more like a deep fried way. We only have them once a month at most, probably less. Bread is plain, but fresh baked crusty loaf is also amazing, with room temp butter. One of my favourite vegetables is spring greens, just de-ribbed shredded and steamed, and served with black pepper and a dot of butter, one of the best things going, and plain as you like.

Then I also love curry. And chilli and tagines. We could eat curry three to four times a week.

Today I'm making home-made pizza margherita - which is one of our regular weekend treats - with fresh home-made bread base baked extra thin and crispy, topped with homemade pizza sauce (did that yesterday) and lashings of mozzarella. I'm not sure where Italian food sits in the plain to spicy spectrum - probably somewhere in the middle - but I did add a couple of little chillies to the sauce which will amp it up a bit ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: sciencegeek
Date: 18 May 14 - 05:48 AM

LOL... memories of tuna casserole back when Fridays were "meatless"...

canned tuna mixed with cream of mushroom soup (Campbell soup company gave out recipes to encourage using their cream soups instead of making your own sauce or gravy)
and then added to cooked egg noodles.
Put into a glass baking dish, sprinkle with bread or cracker crumbs ( or French's Fried Onions if you were going "fancy")and bake til the topping browns.

Haven't touched it in 40 years... lol

Now... baked macaroni & cheese casserole can be pure heaven if done right.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Musket
Date: 18 May 14 - 11:45 AM

Ok. Let's see what we can make for tea..

Egg rolls
Ham rolls
Cheese rolls
Jam rolls
Casseroles
Rissoles
&
Arseholes.


I reckon I'll get a Chinese chuck away instead.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 18 May 14 - 11:52 AM

What about a Black Hole, Musket?

My husband calls my attempts at making curry a 'fruit salad', as I put far too many sultanas in to kill the heat a bit.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST
Date: 18 May 14 - 12:00 PM

The closest piece of kitchen hardware to as casserole in the American arsenal seems to be the Dutch Oven (and that too has a second meaning, so don't go researching it without prior fortification). They do tend to be much larger, though - a casserole will typically hold 2-3 litres.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Musket
Date: 18 May 14 - 12:04 PM

I love sultanas but I tend to pick them out of savoury dishes.

A Jamaican friend gave us some of her home made reggae reggae sauce.

Now... If I made a dish and called it black hole, that would be served with it. It drags all other flavours to it....

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: sciencegeek
Date: 18 May 14 - 12:27 PM

here in the US, casserole dishes are usually glass or ceramic - Corningware or Libby can be found everywhere - especially yard sales... lol

a recipe that would show up at potluck suppers was summer squash and other vegetables mixed with bread stuffing, moistened with broth & a can of "cream of whatever" and then baked. not bad...

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 18 May 14 - 01:24 PM

As I said on gnu's thread about pans, I like Le Creuset because it's rock-solid and lets things cook without any burning. However, one needs a mortgage to buy their stuff. When I lived in the Hairy North (Scotland), my landlady had a gorgeous Aga stove, and one could cook wonderful casseroles in it because the heat was steady. The slow oven (not the roasting one) was excellent. I just use good old Pyrex, in our electric stove, but it's not the same.
No-one has mentioned making your own stock. Do people do that nowadays? I always feel a good stock is the secret of a really lovely casserole. My mum used to get bits and bones off the butcher (everyone did then) and boiled them up for ages. She also had a pressure cooker which made stock a bit more quickly. It was excellent for soups too. That way, we used up absolutely everything in the larder (no fridge) to prevent waste. I can't bear to hear of the dreadful waste nowadays of a THIRD of all food bought ending in the bin. Good grief!!

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 May 14 - 01:25 PM

Guest who suggested the Dutch Oven was closest to an American casserole obviously knows nothing of North American cooking.

This chicken and rice casserole from Pinch of Yum is excellent, and worth posting here. I have added our revisions.

CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

1 POUND BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS
2 1/2-3 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH
1 1/2 CUPS MILK
3/4 CUP FLOUR
1/2 TEASPOON ONION POWDER
1/2 TEASPOON GARLIC (FROM THOSE LITTLE JARS)
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 TEASPOON WHITE PEPPER
1 TEASPOON CROSHED OREGANO
1 1/2 CUPS UNCOOKED BROWN RICE
1/2 TEASPOON HYS SEASONING SALT (OR A LITTLE CHILI POWDER)
1 CUP WATER

Combine chicken broth and 1/2 cup milk and bring to boil in large saucepan.
Whip seasonings, flour and rest of milk to make a smooth mixture, using a bowl.
Pour into saucepan and simmer while stirring, then whisking until mixture smooth and thick.
Oven heated to 375F. Butter a 9-inch baking dish, heavily on the sides.
In a bowl, combine the rice, the 'soup' mixture from the saucepan, and water.
Pour into baking dish.
Arrange the chicken pieces and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of mixed seasonings.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for additional 45 minutes (Check progress to see that cooking is thorough). More water may be needed.
Top should be slightly browned.
Remove from oven, cool 10 minutes.
Shred chicken and stir to combine with rice.

Serve topped with shredded cheese, chopped chives, etc.























Stir to combine with rice.
Serve with s

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,Musket
Date: 18 May 14 - 01:36 PM

Just turned our Aga off for the summer. The bottom oven is wonderful for casseroles, stews, curry. Chilli etc. We tend to use a non stick double handled wide pan with lid. Start things on the top and transfer into the oven for a few hours.

For smaller dishes we use Pyrex though. The big pot won't fit in the " summer " oven so a ceramic Denby stock pot gets used.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 18 May 14 - 02:14 PM

We have a stock day every few months. We get very good marrow bones and such from our local butcher. I bake them in the oven for 45 minutes or so before simmering low and steady for about six hours...wonderful for soups and stews. Yes, I also wonder how many people do this anymore. Oh I do love these food threads, so very interesting. Thanks for starting it.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 May 14 - 04:26 AM

One of my favourite derivations of the casserole is the cassoulet. Delicious - Especially with our local butchers pork and black pudding sausage.

I must say that I am quite surprised at the discovery that people still consider British food bland, or even bad. We have hosted a few people from the USA, Australia, Canada, Poland and Germany and all have commented how good the food is. I understand that while the American servicemen were here during the war they did find the food bland and of poor quality but that was mainly down to rationing. Nowadays, with influences from all over the world and no shortage of good quality ingredients, I think that the cuisine in the UK is generally pretty good. Of course there are exceptions but they exist equally elsewhere. I have eaten in a Country Buffet in Illinois and suffered cheese in a can :-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 May 14 - 04:32 AM

BTW - Don't like this version of the song. So, bye-bye Miss American Casserole just doesn't seem to scan :-)

D.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 19 May 14 - 05:11 AM

It's true Dave that we do indeed have all the international foods and flavourings at our disposal, but my bet is that people nowadays are tired from work and prefer to buy ready-cooked meals to pop in the microwave. These are often spicy and flavourful. But I'd bet most folk younger than me (ie nearly everyone!) haven't a clue about ordinary English cooking (eg post-War plain dishes) or economical use of leftovers etc. They could do batch cooking of casseroles, soup and stews, then freeze them up for reheating after work, but I expect they can't be bothered. But I'm so proud of my husband; he goes into the Bangladeshi and Asian delis and gets all the exotic and hot spices and powders he needs, and creates wonderful food with them. And in Cote d'Ivoire, a man wouldn't be seen dead at the cooking pot, so he's very brave.
The most important thing is getting the best quality ingredients, even the cheaper cuts must be of a good standard. My old mum would say, "Let the food do the talking and don't mess it about with fancy stuff like garlic!" My parents seemed to think garlic was the ultimate in ghastly and horrible things to have in the larder!

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 19 May 14 - 05:40 AM

I cook a lot with garlic. No-one has ever told me I smell of it, but I suspect that I must sometimes surely reek of the stuff with the quantity I eat - especially after a home-made curry or pasta sauce. As I eat so much I'm basically immune to it, so wouldn't have a clue :-/

As to cooking, I taught myself when I was a teenager. Starting with things like vegetable soups, lentil rissoles, and "TVP" bolognaise - TVP was one of those ingredients that you would find on recipe leaflets from the Vegetarian Society back in the day (ie: 1980's.) In fact I can still remember the first actual meal I ever cooked; it was a very simple 'sweetcorn soup' and the recipe came on one such leaflet - I was probably about thirteen or so.

My mum bless her, really just stuck to simple stuff, it was boiled potatoes and frozen peas with pretty much everything: including sausages, pork chops, battered fish portions and fish-fingers.

Now I do a quite a bit of 'big-batch from-scratch' cooking, mainly whole-food and vegetarian. There's always portioned up bags of veggie chillie or curry in the freezer. I also do what my dad calls 'burglars' which are patties of some kind or another, usually involving a mix of kind of pulse or grain and veg, mashed up, shaped and breaded ready to pan fry. Right now there's a couple of lasagne's in there that have been made up with a mushroom and lentil ragu (surprisingly meaty) and a simple bechamel sauce. All 'good brews' as my auld fella calls it.

Though I mainly cook with wholefood staples like beans, rice and veg, my food-cupboard is also a storehouse for all kinds of weird and fancy stuff like ground flax, quinoa, tofu, miso, hemp oil, giant couscous, sun dried tomatoes, capers, pine nuts, gram flour etc., and my spice rack is home to all number of whole and ground seeds and masala mixes. Or in other words I heart hippy-food.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Musket
Date: 19 May 14 - 05:41 AM

Good point regarding the cassoulet Dave.

I make one with stewing steak and mushroom as the main meat, crumble in black pudding etc, shallots mushroom, use borlotti beans and have a slice of belly pork roosting away in it..

Fairly French by both name and style.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 19 May 14 - 06:13 AM

Re: Cassoulet, does anyone do that thing with the breaded crust on top?

I think traditionally the French cassoulet dish would be wider on the top than the bottom and the top of the dish would be coated in buttery breadcrumbs which form a crust while the dish is in the oven; to serve you have to break into the crust with a spoon (at least I think that's right, though I'd need to look it up to be sure) to get at the meat and pulses within. I've sometimes thought about trying a veg version, though am not sure where one would start, any thoughts?

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 19 May 14 - 06:16 AM

Ah, Dave's link shows the dish, but no mention of a crust..

White beans would seem to be the starting point for a vegetarian version too.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 May 14 - 06:25 AM

I'm not sure if most people would pick ready meals, Eliza. I have only limited experience of what other people eat but my Son and Daughter in Law, who both work and have 2 children, would not dream of using ready meals and generally prepare fresh vegetarian meals for all of them. When I was working away a lot and living Mon-Fri in a flat, the temptation was to use ready meals and I found that, like with anything, you get what you pay for. The more expensive ones were tasty and nutritious but the cheaper ones were pretty poor. In the end I decided that it was often as cheap to eat out. Trouble with that was it was generally pubs and while the meals were OK, the beer that went with it did nothing for my health :-) So in the end I found it easy and quick to do meals with proper ingredients with the added bonus that any leftovers went for breakfast or lunch the next day.

Anyroads. Back to topic. This was when I discovered how quick and easy a sausage and bean cassoulet was and how easy it was to prepare something for the next day and pop it in a very low oven before I set off for work. Alternatively I would, as you suggested, cook too much and keep half for later in the week. I rarely froze anything but found it kept fine in the fridge for a couple of days.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 May 14 - 06:27 AM

CS - Standard Norther categories. No crust - Stew. Crust - Pie :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Musket
Date: 19 May 14 - 06:36 AM

Many cassoulets have a large fatty cut of another meat on top, as in my belly pork, to let the fat drip down and add flavour. Breadcrumbs might not work so well.

Where I make a vegetarian bake of what could be a casserole I tend to use aduki beans. They are a little small for providing the bean content in a cassoulet but as a meat substitute in their own right, they are great. I particularly like using them for a lasagne.

One cassoulet I make that could have a crust, and thinking on I may try it, is a garlic chicken one. It is basically a jointed chicken, on the bone, with lots of garlic cloves, mushroom, carrot and shallots, borlotti beans (I love using them in many dishes) and a white wine &chicken stock sauce, thickened by frying the chicken pieces off first, covered in flour. I occasionally add small potatoes, unpeeled, for a one pot meal but most of the time, I serve it with mash and a green veg.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 19 May 14 - 06:48 AM

More Cassoulet wisdom here on Felicity's 'blog' at the Graun, I quite like reading her column as she endeavours to take the best bits from a variety of well-regarded sources:

How to cook the perfect cassoulet

Nice tip on the haricot beans if you haven't pre-soaked. Bring to the boil and sit for forty mins before proceeding with cooking. Will use that. For a veg version I'm thinking lots of garlic and thyme so the beans get well infused with flavour.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 19 May 14 - 08:50 AM

I make casoulette with a breadcrumb topping which I add for the last bit of cooking. also use white beans and pork...very good stuff. I may go away now and hurl one in the oven..thanks for the reminder.
   I have never found English food to be bland just less spicy than some. There are many things that British cooks do better than anyone...all down to cultural differences I guess.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Musket
Date: 19 May 14 - 08:54 AM

Dunno about bland food. I was brought up on it of course and post war austerity didn't help the national diet.

But with the heritage of the Raj etc, spicy food was never far away from the national palate.

There are more Michelin star restaurants in The UK than in France.......

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 19 May 14 - 09:27 AM

So far my vegetarian cassoulet I'm thinking on a mix of 2/3 haricot beans and 1/3 butter beans (for a variety of texture) improvident quantities of garlic, whole shallots instead of onion (again for texture) carrots and celery, red wine (for added body), tomatoes, a bit of smoked paprika (for some of the flavour component the smoked bacon would bring), a decent amount of olive oil for richness, boquet garni, and a breadcrumby crust. Is there anything else I should bung in there? (I know... duck, sausage, black pudding etc.)

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Musket
Date: 19 May 14 - 09:38 AM

Black pudding will give a salty depth and thicken the sauce.....

Seriously, for a veggie option, look at the aduki beans. They are smaller than the ones you are using, (puy lentils are another option, and are cheaper at Sainsburys labeled as lentil verte, despite the dark red colour....). Either small pulse will thicken the sauce and give a meaty depth.

Similar to my Mum's generation putting pearl barley in stews and casseroles.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 May 14 - 10:08 AM

Pearl barley itself could work - Black Puddings contain it so you are halfway there :-) From a Wiki clip on Black Puds -

Black pudding is the native British version of blood sausage. It is generally made from pork blood and a relatively high proportion of oatmeal. In the past it was occasionally flavoured with pennyroyal, differing from continental European versions in its relatively limited range of ingredients and reliance on oatmeal and barley instead of onions to absorb the blood. It can be eaten cold, as it is cooked in production, but is often grilled, fried or boiled in its skin.

There you go, Oatmeal and Barley to soak up the fluid and Pennyroyal for flavour. - How about making the veggie version using red wine instead of blood. Works for me :-D

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 May 14 - 10:12 AM

Oh - And if the idea takes off, just send me some (Penny)royalties :-)

D.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 19 May 14 - 10:17 AM

A mix of adzuki, haricot and butter beans it is.

DtG - I hear you can actually buy a veggie versions of black pudding, but how would you they those tasty little lumps of fat in veggie form? I'm also a bit unsure about pennyroyal, as it's an 'abortifacient' - though I guess that may be not such a big deal for someone like me who doesn't actually *want* children.. o-O

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 19 May 14 - 10:21 AM

"Oh - And if the idea takes off, just send me some (Penny)royalties :-)"

Oh dear... And we were doing so well until then!

>the audience boos and throws things<

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 May 14 - 10:32 AM

Hehehe - I'll get my coat...

There are veggie versions of Black Pudding but, like you, I wonder about the fatty bits. Mind you the Bury Black Pudding Co do fatty and non-fatty versions I believe. Never tried them. May as well be hung for a fatty pig as a lean one!

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,sciencegeek
Date: 19 May 14 - 10:35 AM

one of nicest perks about the draft horse club I used to belong to were the potluck suppers that always included a giant roasting pan full of scalloped potatoes and ham. yum!

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: Musket
Date: 19 May 14 - 12:44 PM

You are right. There is a Z in it.....

I have tried veggie black pudding, but it was as useful as a one legged bloke at an arse kicking contest.

Here's a tip from America (if you recall, we were discussing American versions at one time). Homer Simpson said that if God doesn't want us to eat animals, why does he make them taste of meat?

A dinner party at Chez Musket tends to have vegetarians, Halal, gluten free and the resident omnivore. It isn't the first time we have had to accommodate the lot... I even keep the pans for Halal in the utility room and wash them in the sink in there.

I mention this because Farage was on the wireless today saying your average British bloke isn't multi cultural. I'm average in everything except beer belly and willy thank you very much..

Sorry. I'm sure veggie black pudding as an ingredient is fine. Not much good under scallops though.

Subject: RE: BS: American Casserole
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 19 May 14 - 01:27 PM

I spell it 'adzuki' from habit, though I don't think it actually has to have a Z in it, aduki and azuki are also used, though I think the latter is more akin to the Japanese? I also use the more complicated spelling of 'yoghourt' over 'yoghurt/yogurt' though all are correct, habit again.

On a more personal note, Musket, I'm sorry to hear that you have a small gut; I recommend more ale and pies to address that particular insufficiency.

As for God, Simpson version or otherwise, I tend to think he is a bit of a sadistic old bastard (at least if you read his memoirs) so I'm not terribly surprised that he made the tastiest food suffer fear and pain - why didn't he just make steak trees instead? It would have made life for sensitive folk so much easier.