`Care in cooking and skill in seasoning and presentation can make even a tin of tuna memorable,” is the reassuring advice on casseroles offered in my old “Joy of Cooking.”
As a young working mother in the 1960s with a penchant for entertaining and precious little time, I found salvation in the casserole, along with the electric can opener and the freezer.
Not all of the casseroles were memorable; in fact, some were terrible. But they were expedient: A one-dish dinner could be assembled in a jiffy, slowly baked in an attractive dish while other chores were done, and whisked to the table with a flourish.
With the new-styled recipes here, it’s worth revisiting the casserole. If you’re like me, you never gave them up completely anyway.
HAMBURGER PIE
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Cooking time: 45-58 minutes
Use a high-quality, spicy, not-too-sweet barbecue sauce for this casserole.
Filling:
1 onion, peeled, cut in chunks
2 ribs celery, cut in chunks
2 green bell peppers, seeded, cut in chunks
1/4 cup bulgur
1/3 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium beef broth, defatted
1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon each: baking soda, salt, celery seed
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1. To prepare filling, process onion, celery and bell peppers in food processor fitted with metal blade until finely chopped. Set aside. Toast bulgur in large dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl; set aside.
2. Add beef to skillet; cook over medium heat until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to colander to drain.
3. Dry skillet with paper towel; add oil and heat over medium heat. Add reserved vegetables; cook, stirring, until starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Add broth, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and reserved beef and bulgur. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
4. Heat oven to 450 degrees. To prepare crust, mix flour, parsley, baking powder, baking soda, salt and celery seed in medium bowl. Combine buttermilk and oil in glass measuring cup. Add wet ingredients to dry; stir with fork until just combined.
5. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead gently 7 to 8 times. With floured rolling pin, roll into 8-inch circle. Cut dough into 6 triangles with floured pastry wheel or knife.
6. Spoon reserved filling into ungreased 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Arrange biscuits evenly over filling. Bake until bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 270 Fat ………… 12 g Cholesterol .. 19 mg
Sodium ….. 750 mg Carbohydrates .. 30 g Protein ……. 10 g
NEW TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 45-55 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
1/3 cup pine nuts
6 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
6 ounces dried wide egg noodles
1 onion, peeled, quartered
1 rib celery, quartered
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded, cut in chunks
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 1-percent milk
1 can (9 ounces) white tuna in water, drained, flaked
1/2 cup each: low-fat mayonnaise, grated Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or basil
Fresh lemon juice, salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pine nuts in shallow pan; bake until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. Increase oven to 425 degrees. Cover dried tomatoes in small bowl with hot water until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain; set aside.
2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse under cold running water. Drain; set aside. Process tomatoes, onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic in food processor fitted with metal blade, until finely chopped.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add vegetables; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring constanly, 1 minute. Add milk; heat to boil, stirring, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in tuna, mayonnaise, cheese and parsley or basil. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
4. Gently mix noodles into tuna mixture and spoon into a lightly oiled 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved pine nuts. Bake until bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 265 Fat ……. 11 g Choles …… 55 mg
Sodium ….. 385 mg Carbo ….. 33 g Protein …… 21 g
