I haven't had any guest posts on this space for quite some time. As I have always mentioned before guest post is a section I reserve for my friends and family to share their recipes. But what happens mostly is that I end up clicking pics when others cook and then write it up on their behalf. At times I get lucky and I get pics with directions and I need to write an intro. This is the first time that I have got a post with an intro and the recipe not to forget detailed pics of the process. I have made a lot of good friends after joining cucumbertown, friends who love food, cooking and have been kind and generous in sharing their ideas and time with me. Tiya is one such person who entered my world very recently. She has no clue about my fondness for her name and she has been a faithful friend checking out this space and experimenting with some of my recipes. This is an awesome post by her which she agreed to share with me in a jiffy. I loved her write up and I hope the readers here would love this recipe as much as I did. Tiya darling I look forward to our food photography sessions and I loved your pics for this post.
Casserole.. Till a year and a half ago, I knew casserole
only as a dish in which something is cooked in or even a large dish which can
keep food hot (how ignorant of me!!)
And then, one fine day, I wanted to buy a casserole, just like that for the fancy thought of having a thick dish than the normal frying pans and searched for a casserole.
And then, one fine day, I wanted to buy a casserole, just like that for the fancy thought of having a thick dish than the normal frying pans and searched for a casserole.
And this is what I found “A casserole, from
the French word for "saucepan",[1] is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and
as a serving vessel. The word is also used for the food cooked and served in
such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a casserole dish or casserole pan.” – Source
Wikipedia
My interest piqued and I searched for casserole recipes, and
saw a variety of things, slow cooked stews, layered veggies and cheeses and
what nots. Still drooling at the pictures, armed with determination I decided
to buy a suitable cooking vessel and
thus bought a Bergner Dutch oven home. Dutch Ovens are essentially casserole
pots according to me (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_oven)
And then for last
Christmas, I made a vegetarian casserole, loaded with cream and cheese and all
gorgeous stuff and it found instant approval of high standards. (yes, I’m
gloating :P)
The recipe that I use is one which is ‘Oh, so ever forgiving’ that you can chuck almost anything into it and it would just still taste awesome.
The recipe that I use is one which is ‘Oh, so ever forgiving’ that you can chuck almost anything into it and it would just still taste awesome.
So here’s a Chicken and Egg casserole with Mixed veggies and
cream and cheese straight from my thoroughly lazy kitchen.
What I have used:
Potato Mash: 1.5 cups
Onions (cut into long thin slices): 5 medium size
Habanero peppers (long thin slices): 6
Tomato (sliced into thing rounds): 4 medium size
Chopped Mixed Vegetables: 300 gram
Chicken Mince: 300 gram
Eggs: 3
Cream: 200 ml
Cheese slices: 7
Grated cheddar cheese: ¼ cup
Salt: to taste
Pepper: to taste
Herbs: to taste ( I have used thyme alone for this recipe)
Oil: for sautéing and the casserole
25 cm diameter Dutch Oven
What you could also
use:
For a vegetarian
version you can use thin sliced brinjals, carrots, zucchini, broccoli and just
about anything that goes. It’s just all about what taste goes along
You could add boiled
pasta also in the casserole, in between veggies and meat and sauces
You could use
different types of chunky sauces
In meat, thin strips
of chicken, mutton, beef or mice of any of these, or bacon, ham, or any other
salami would be just as awesome. Adding seafood like prawns and calamari and
scallops takes it to a new level altogether.
The key is to just
have fun with the ingredients.
How to go about
creating this sinful food:
Before we start, the one thing to keep in mind in this
recipe is that the individual ingredients are prepared and set aside first and
then layered like a lasagna to cook and combine into one rich indulgent main
course.
1.
Sautee the onions and peppers with a pinch of
salt till the onions turn golden.
2.
Roast the thinly sliced tomatoes in a pan till
they look lightly caramelized.
3.
Sautee the mix veg with salt to taste in oil
(max one tbsp.). Add in the cream and herbs and boil till cream is reduced and
veggies are tender.
4.
Crack the eggs and beat them till fluffy.
Proceed to make an omelette that would cover the size of your casserole dish
5.
Sautee the mince with salt and pepper seasoning till cooked
So now you get it, the key here is to cook each ingredient separately and then combine their tastes.
6. Arranging your casserole:
Oil the base of your casserole dish.
Now spread a layer of potato mash as the baseOn top of this spread the onions
Next arrange the roasted tomatoes
Add the grated cheese, spread it
even
The cheese will melt, the flavors will spread, the aroma will just be too tempting and when you dig in and serve you will see all the gorgeousness in this simple dish.
Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.
For serving, slice with a straight edged serving spoon and lift out. The potato mash becomes beautifully golden brown crusted to hold it together.
Indulge!!
This recipe easily serves 6 people.
(P.S: To add to the joy I always serve it with wine and very simple pasta. It just complements each other too well)
