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WARMING WINTER CASSEROLES
Warming Winter Casseroles
Along with soups, making a casserole is a relatively easy way to fill up and stay warm during the colder months. The beauty of this type of dish is you quickly fry lean meat pieces first in a smidgen of oil to seal in all the fabulous flavours. Mix in tasty stocks and winter vegetables and you will have a satisfying and easy supper - all cooked slowly in the oven or the hob.
It's that time of year when only warming, comforting food will do - and casseroles top the list on cold, wintry days. Casseroles require slow cooking so the meat remains tender and succulent. Beef and chicken casseroles are often better made the day before as it gives time for the flavours to mingle. How to Thicken
The traditional way to thicken casseroles is with beurre manié - a mixture of half softened butter mixed with half plain flour - but there are healthier ways to do this. Adding a few tablespoons of bulgar wheat or for chicken and beef casseroles a tablespoon of sauce flour or cornflour thinned with a little water will do the trick. Beans such as cannellini and haricot are another good way to thicken - mash or purée before adding to the stew or casserole. Cooking Utensils
A small 3 pint or 1.75 litre casserole is ideal. Not only does it retain heat well, but you can use it on the hob or in the oven. Make sure it has a tight-fitting lid, so the juices don't run dry.
An electric slow cooker uses very little electricity - you are only heating one pan instead of the whole oven - and creates an even, slow heat that's perfect for cooking meat. You can set a slow cooker on its lowest setting in the morning and by the evening (8-9 hours later), you'll have a perfectly cooked meal.
Pressure cookers cut a third off the time of casserole cooking times - so a good choice if you're short on time. Good Seasonal Combinations:
Squash, onions, tomatoes and quorn with cumin works well.
Beef, carrots and onions with chestnut mushrooms and a strong beef stock and a bouquet garni is always a winner.
Chicken, green peppers, tomatoes, paprika and onions. Rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and garlic are all excellent for flavouring casseroles.
Chunks of swede, parsnips and red peppers are good to bulk out meaty casseroles. Soy Braised Beef with Orange
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1kg chuck steak trimmed and cut into 3cm cubes
spray oil, for frying
2 red onions, sliced
2cm root ginger, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 oranges
1 tablespoon cornflour
5 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soft light brown sugar
425ml beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Heat the oil in frying pan. Brown the beef on all sides, a few pieces at a time, and transfer to a casserole dish with a heatproof bottom. If the bottom of the pan becomes too brown and sticky, pour in a little stock and scrape the sediment from the bottom. Pour this into the casserole with the meat then add a little more oil and continue browning the meat until all is transferred to the casserole.
Fry the sliced onions in the pan with a little more spray oil until golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a further minutes. Place them in the casserole.
Finely grate the zest from both oranges. Add to the casserole. Place the cornflour in a bowl, stir in the soy sauce and vinegar. Stir well. Stir into the casserole with the sugar and the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes.
Cover the casserole and cook in the preheated over for 3 hours or until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile peel one of the oranges with a knife as you would an apple, making sure all the pith is removed. Remove the segments. Squeeze the juice from the other orange.
Approximately half an hour before the meat is cooked add the orange juice to the casserole and remove the lid.
Add the orange segments just before serving and stir through until hot. If the sauce is too strong, or too thick, add some water. If the sauce is too thin or weak once the beef has cooked, strain off the liquid and reduce by boiling rapidly. Serve with basmati rice and a green salad.
Chicken and Tomato Casserole
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Spray oil, for frying
8 skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, roughly chopped
110g lean bacon cut into lardons
110g field mushrooms
1 tablespoon tomato purée
300ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 5.
Heat half the spray oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken pieces. Transfer the chicken to a casserole dish.
Heat a little more spray oil in the frying pan and fry the onions, until beginning to brown, add the bacon and fry until golden brown and add the mushrooms and cook until any water they produce is driven off. Add the tomato purée and stock and bring to the boil. Pour over the chicken and add the bay leaves.
Cover the casserole and place in the preheated oven for 45mins -1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the casserole and keep warm. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce and reduce the sauce by boiling rapidly until the sauce is the consistency of double cream. Taste and season if necessary.
Return the chicken to the casserole with the sauce. Serve immediately. Serving suggestion: Rice, mashed potato or herbed couscous and green beans Recent Articles
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