Casseroles are associated with quite humble meals and there’s nothing wrong with that. There's also nothing mysterious about it, as casseroles are economical meals. Using good ingredients and proper technique, they can also be gourmet. Remember Tuna Noodle Casserole for an Army?
About the Book
With a forward by Julie Powell of Julie/Julia fame, and recipes from Donatella Arpaia, Bobby Flay and Paula Deen you could justify Casserole Crazy as an addition to your cookbook collection based on the famous cooks quotient. These contributions are small, however.
Farris shares family stories, tales of her move from the midwest to NYC, and describes her meteoric rise to the top of the casserole party circuit. In it’s fourth year now, hipsters all over Brooklyn jockey for fame and fortune at this covered-dish love-in. Her website, CasseroleCrazy.com includes a clip from the Fourth Annual Casserole Party.
Casserole Crazy contains “Tips for Throwing Your Own Fabulous Casserole Party.” The recipes are broken into Breakfast, Appetizer, Side Dish, and Main dish recipes. There’s a whole section devoted to Macaroni & Cheese dishes, as well as a Stove Top section.
With just a little more effort than opening a can or a frozen bag, you can enjoy a warm, satisfying casserole. Of course, if you’re going to aspire to high-brow or gourmet with your casseroles, you’ll have to overlook how many recipes ask you to open a can of soup. To be fair, this is a beloved shortcut in many circles. But faithful readers know that we can make a better, less expensive and healthier version ourselves.
Farris' recipes all have a note under their title “File under Oh So Good But Bad For You” or “Not So Bad For You, Vegetarian” and so on. Truthfully, most of them are the "Good but Bad" for you variety.
Umami makes it Better
Umami is the fifth taste named in the 1920’s by a Japanese scientist, just now becoming widely accepted across culinary and scientific disciplines everywhere. Umami is the taste that we might call “savory.” It is found in abundance in parmigiano-reggiano, in mushrooms, and in kombu. This is why miso soup made with dashi tastes like miso soup whereas miso soup made with water tastes like salt.
Much of what creates that distinctly comforting and satisfying casserole experience can be atttributed to umami. Think of how many casseroles use cream of mushroom soup as a key ingredient. This casserole has both mushroom and parmigiano-reggiano umami.
Mushroom, Broccoli and Wheatberry Casserole
- 2 stalks broccoli (peel stems, chop stalks, stems and tops)
- 1/2 medium onion, sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic (mashed, minced)
- 2 C mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 C carrot cut into brunoise, or minced fairly finely
- 1.5 C wheatberries or farro, cooked
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Thyme to taste
- fresh ground pepper black and white
- 2-3 TBSP Wondra Sauce and Gravy Flour
- ~1/4 C Med Dry Sherry - Amontillado
- ~ 1 C mushroom broth
Topping:
- 1 C Panko crumbs
- 1/3 C grated parmigiano-reggiano
- generous sprinkle of pimenton (smoky Spanish paprika)
Technique:
- soak wheatberries or farro, cook, drain.
- prep vegetables
- saute onion, broccoli and carrot in butter/oil.
- add mushrooms, garlic before onions brown
- sprinkle with thyme, generous grinds of white and black pepper
- when vegetables are mostly softened, sprinkle Wondra over them, stirring well
- add Sherry or Vya vermouth, mushroom broth and wheatberries
- pour mixture into buttered baking dish
- top with panko, parmigiano-reggiano mixture
- sprinkle top with oil or melted butter and pimenton
- bake in 350 degree oven until bubbly, then turn broiler on to toast topping.
Notes:
- This could be made vegan by using oil in place of butter and eliminating the cheese.
- Cheese could be added to the body of this casserole, too. It’s not necessary.
- Casserole Crazy would be a great gift, especially for new cooks. Pair with a Pyrex dish for a complete casserole experience.
Try this simple recipe and for about $1.00 per serving you've got a wonderful, satisfying and healthy meal.
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