Casserole

“ The sooner the casserole utensil becomes an indispensable part of our kitchen outfit the better, for it makes in every way for economy,—economy of materials, time, and labor,—as materials often too tough for ordinary cooking may by this means be served in a nutritious and tender condition. When casserole cookery is thoroughly understood, many combinations of food and many inexpensive viands will be put to use and very palatable results obtained. ”

“ Place all in a casserole and barely cover with boiling water. Simmer for half an hour, then add the dressing. Mash the egg yolks with the butter, then add the salt, pepper, flour, and cream. Stir until smooth and creamy, then add to the terrapin and simmer for fifteen minutes, stirring frequently. If too thick, reduce with a little boiling water. Add the wine and serve very hot. ”

“ In French restaurants more is always charged for casserole dishes than for others and they are decidedly worth it. The Flavor of food is particularly rich and appetizing when it has been cooked slowly in earthenware pots. For braising, pot roasting, and stewing, which are slow-cooking processes, the casserole is far superior to metal pans in every way.
Chafing Dish Cooking is treated in Chapter XIV of the Century Cook Book, and there are several smaller volumes specially devoted to this interesting branch of the art—dining-room cooking it might be called—one by Alice L. James. ”

“ In many places garlic is considered indispensable, the new dishes being rubbed with a clove of it, “to prevent their cracking.” Never place the vessels on the stove or within the oven without either water or fat in them. Never put a casserole roughly on a metal surface, especially if it is full or partly full.
Sudden alternations of temperature should be avoided, that is to say, the casserole should not be taken off the range or out of the oven and placed in 16cold water or on the wet sink, and vice versâ. A fierce heat is never needed or desirable. ”

“ Bring to the boil and stew very gently until tender. Skin the tomatoes, break in halves, and cook slowly to a pulp in a separate pan. Add these, with the lemon juice, to the stew, and slightly thicken with a little wholemeal flour just before serving.
IV.—CASSEROLE COOKERY. Casserole is the French word for stew-pan. But "Casserole Cookery" is a phrase used to denote cookery in earthenware pots. It commends itself especially to food-reformers, as the slow cookery renders the food more digestible, and the earthenware pots are easier to keep clean than the ordinary saucepan. ”

“ Properly speaking, however, a casserole is a dish, the material for which in many instances is first prepared in the sauté or frying-pan and then transferred to the earthenware pan to finish cooking by a long, slow process 10which develops the true flavors of the food being cooked. ”

“ In a casserole put one spoonful of melted butter, and when the casserole is hot put the piece of beef in it and fry brown on both sides. Put the beef on a platter, and add to the casserole one ounce of fresh butter and two spoonfuls of flour, let it become brown, then add the wine, water and vegetables used in the earthen pot, bring to the boiling point, put the beef in it and simmer until the beef is soft. Place the beef on a platter, and strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Garnish the beef with carrots, onions glacés, peas and potatoes. ”

“ In the morning drain off the juice into a casserole, add the remaining sugar and the lemon juice, add half a pint of water, stir over the fire till the sugar is dissolved, bring quickly to boiling point, skim, add the berries, and simmer gently until they are tender. ”

“ When one understands the principles of cookery this richness of flavor of meats cooked by the fireless method is not surprising. Every one knows the proverbial deliciousness of French cookery. The special peculiarity of the French cuisine is the long, slow simmering of meats in closely covered earthen pots called casseroles. The principle is essentially that of the fireless cooker, but the casserole not being insulated, the French cook is obliged to keep on supplying a sufficient degree of heat to keep the casserole warm and its contents simmering. ”

“ Special Poëlings known as “En Casserole,” or “En Cocotte.”—The preparations of butcher’s meats, of poultry, or game, known as “en casserole” or “en cocotte,” are actual poëlings cooked in special earthenware utensils and served in the same. Generally, preparations known as “en casserole” are simply cooked in butter, without the addition of vegetables.
When the cooking is done, the piece under treatment is withdrawn for a moment, and some excellent brown veal stock (No. 9) is poured into the utensil. This is left to simmer for a few minutes; the superfluous butter is then removed ”

“ The crowning advantage of casserole cooking, especially in a family where for one cause or another meals are apt to be irregular, is that the dish can be 15kept waiting for a considerable time without deterioration. Food can be left in a casserole with perfect safety as long as desired.
HOW TO CARE FOR CASSEROLE DISHES The cook who has been accustomed to the use of iron, granite, copper, aluminum, or other metal cooking utensils will necessarily have something to learn when adopting earthenware. It must be realized that it is a method of slow cookery, and cannot be hurried. ”

“ A bean of garlic is used, unless the casserole is rubbed with it before cooking. Stir for ten minutes, add one cupful of stock and one wineglassful of white wine or cider. Cook for fifteen minutes longer, pour out into a bowl, place slices of toast in the casserole, and cover with the fish and vegetables, allowing the sauce sufficient time to soak into the toast, and adding salt and pepper to taste.
FISH CHOPS
Mix cold cooked fish with a little very thick [Pg 315] Cream Sauce, and season with lemon-juice and minced parsley. Shape into chops, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. ”

“ Mixing bowls are usually made of earthenware, as are also casseroles, which are covered dishes used for the baking of foods that require long cooking, and other baking utensils. Meat, fowl, and some vegetables, such as dried beans, are delicious when prepared in a casserole, as very little flavor or food is lost in such a dish. ”

“ For a large casserole, a pound of rice and a quart of gravy will be required: a bit of bread is sometimes used in filling the mould, cut to the shape, and occupying nearly half the inside, but always so as to leave a thick and compact crust in every part. Part of the rice which is scooped from the inside is sometimes mixed with the mince, or other preparation, with which the casserole is filled. ”

“ Casseroles are readily cleaned on account of their perfectly hard and unbroken surfaces. It can easily be seen when casseroles are clean. They are sanitary, and food prepared in them is pure and sweet. They do not retain any taste whatever from previous cooking. ”

“ Casseroles are generally made of boiled rice, or of mashed boiled potatoes. When of rice, first cook thoroughly with milk,{206} salt, and a little butter; or they may be cooked in broth, with a little ham added, which is afterward to be taken out. Mash fine.
When of potatoes, boil, season, and mash them well. Butter the casserole mold. First press the rice, or the potatoes, whichever used, into the figures of the mold; then fill it. In the centre bread may be substituted. Put the casserole aside to harden. When quite cold and firm, carefully unclasp and take off the mold ”

“ For consommé garnish cut "Julienne" style one carrot, one turnip, one leek, a small piece of celery, four leaves of cabbage, and one-half of an onion. Season with a spoonful of salt, and one-half teaspoonful of sugar. Mix well. Put in a well-buttered casserole, cover with buttered paper and the casserole cover, put in oven moderately hot, and allow to simmer slowly. Turn occasionally, using a fork to avoid breaking the vegetables. They should simmer without adding liquid, but should they be too dry, a half cup of consommé may be added. ”

“ When ready to serve, put the ox tails on a hot fireproof dish, and rub the vegetables through a sieve with the liquor. Reheat the sauce, add the olives, and pour it over the meat.
OX TONGUE EN CASSEROLE 1 ox tongue 2 carrots 2 onions 1 turnip A bunch parsley Little thyme and marjoram 3 cloves 6 allspices Stock or water Salt and pepper Wash and trim the tongue carefully, roll it round in the same way as you would ribs of beef, and keep it in shape with a piece of tape. ”

“ Butter a large casserole, arrange over the bottom a layer of sliced potato, then a layer of cabbage, then one of onions, seasoning each with pepper and salt, and sprinkling with chopped hard-boiled egg, and so fill the dish. Pour 2 cups of milk, into which 1 tablespoon of flour has been made smooth, over the chowder, set the dish in a shallow pan of water, and bake slowly for one hour. If the milk cooks away add a little more during the cooking. The same dish can be made in a kettle, in which case halve the potatoes and cook for three quarters of an hour. ”

“ CARROT CASSEROLE 1 C (heaping) mashed carrots cooked in salted water 1-2 C cracker crumbs 1⁄2-1 C diced cheese 1 small onion diced 1⁄4 C diced green pepper 1 C milk salt pepper butter on top
Mix ingredients and place in greased casserole dish. Can be mixed several days ahead and cooked as needed. For economy use maximum crackers, minimum cheese. ”

“ Having collected it in a fresh casserole, together with as much of the liquor as could be scooped up from the floor, the chef bore the casserole to the sink, turned the hot tap upon the poulet to make good the deficiency of gravy, and popped the dish back into his oven. ”

“ Mix flour with seasonings and roll steak in it. Brown onions a little in hot fat and add to tomatoes. Sear meat quickly and put in large greased casserole. Place spaghetti, tomatoes and onions on meat.
Blend remaining seasoned flour with fat in pan until smooth. Add hot water gradually, stirring till smooth. Strain over casserole mixture and cook in moderate oven (350° F.) for 11⁄2 hours, or till meat is tender.
18 A delicious hot meal packed full of nourishment
You know how hard it is to find a food that your children will like, and which is really good for them. ”

“ The Casserole possesses many advantages over the ordinary iron and copper cooking utensils, for the pots always look clean; they will impart no disagreeable flavour to the most delicate foods; they will not rust or tarnish, and if properly kept will not stain; they cook the food evenly and slowly, and consequently less fuel is required and the contents are not liable to burn. Moreover, they are inexpensive, and with careful management will prove cheaper than metal pots.
Chafing Dish Cookery
3638.—BROILED OYSTERS. (Fr.—Huîtres frites.) ”

“ The sauce is either white sauce, plain or varied, or a cream soup. The starch may be noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, crackers, potatoes or potato chips, bread crumbs or a cereal. The protein food may be meat, fish, poultry or cheese. Often the vegetables and protein foods are leftovers which are cleverly combined to appear dressed-up in a new attire.
For the majority of casserole dishes, a medium white sauce is the right consistency—the proportions being 2 tablespoons butter to 2 tablespoons flour, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, few grains pepper, and 1 cup milk. ”

“ The asbestos mat may also be used in the oven. If the heat must be intense for other food in progress of cooking at the same time as an earthenware dish is in the oven, the heat may be controlled by placing the casserole in a pan of hot water which can be lowered in temperature by occasional supplies of cold water added to the hot water.
The adoption of these simple precautions will make easy the use of earthenware utensils. Marmites, ramequins, cocottes, au gratin dishes, and soufflé cases all come under the head of casseroles. ”