The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (28 page)

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1 pound extra-lean ground beef

6 slices bacon, diced

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

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/
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cup tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

2 cups
cooked kidney beans
, drained

2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained

1 can (15
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ounces) whole corn kernels, drained

2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

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1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef, bacon, onion, and pepper together until the beef is cooked. Drain the accumulated fat.
   
2. Transfer the mixture to a 3-quart casserole. Add the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, sugar, beans, and corn and stir to blend well. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly.
   
3. Remove from the oven and spread the cheese and chips evenly over the top. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and chips are crisp.
   

Juniper berries, which we associate with the flavor of gin, are astringent, blue-black berries that grow wild in Europe and America. Although in many preparations they are crushed, I like to add them whole to meat dishes. The resulting flavor is much more subtle. Assemble this casserole and set it to bake at a low temperature over a long period of time. Choose this recipe when you are really busy but don’t want to settle for take-out fare. It might take a little bit of planning, but the result is worth it!

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/
₃
cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

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teaspoon allspice

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teaspoon pepper

2
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to 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths

4 large onions, cut into eighths

4 cloves garlic, bruised and peeled

8 whole juniper berries

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Crumbled crisply cooked bacon for garnish

Hot buttered noodles or boiled potatoes for serving

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1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Combine the flour, salt, allspice, and pepper in a plastic bag. Add the meat to the bag and shake until all the pieces are coated with flour.
   
2. In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the floured beef chunks, a few at a time, and brown on all sides. Remove to a deep 3-quart casserole. When all meat is browned, add the carrots, onions, garlic, and juniper berries to the casserole. Sprinkle the meat and vegetables with the rosemary.
   
3. Pour the beer into the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour over the meat mixture in casserole.
   
4. Bake, covered, for 4 to 5 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Garnish with chopped parsley and cooked bacon. Serve over hot buttered noodles or boiled potatoes.
   

Busy day? This stew cooks slowly at a low temperature, untended, until the beef is succulently tender.

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¹
/
₃
cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground allspice

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teaspoon pepper

2
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/
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to 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1- to 1
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-inch cubes

6 slices bacon, diced

4 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths

4 large onions, cut into eighths

2 cloves garlic, bruised and peeled

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/
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cup minced fresh parsley, plus chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 bay leaf

1 bottle (12 ounces) Irish stout or dark beer

Hot boiled potatoes for serving

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1. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
   
2. Combine the flour, salt, allspice, pepper, and beef cubes in a plastic bag. Shake until all the meat is evenly coated with flour.
   
3. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
   
4. Add the floured pieces of meat, a few at a time, and quickly brown them on all sides. Transfer to a deep 2
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   - to 3-quart casserole with a cover. Add the carrots, onions, garlic, minced parsley, rosemary, marjoram, and bay leaf to the meat.
   
5. Pour the beer into the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour over the meat in the casserole.
   
6. Cover and bake for 4 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Sprinkle the dish with the chopped fresh parsley and cooked bacon. Serve over hot boiled potatoes.
   

Beef, beer, and caraway seeds have a natural affinity for each other. This succulent stew simmers for several hours, and if you’d like to extend the cooking time even longer, reduce the oven temperature to 275°F and double the cooking time. The dish will be all the better for it.

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cup all-purpose flour

1
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teaspoons salt

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1
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-inch cubes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

1 can (12 ounces) dark beer

6 carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths

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pound small mushrooms

10
small white onions, peeled
, or frozen baby onions, thawed

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/
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cup chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

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1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine the flour and salt in a plastic bag and put the meat into the bag. Shake until the pieces are coated.
   
2. In a cast-iron 3-quart Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef chunks, a few at a time, and brown on all sides. When all the meat is browned, add the caraway seeds, beer, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and the
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   cup parsley.
   
3. Bake, tightly covered, for 2
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   to 3 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Garnish with additional parsley.
   

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NOTE:
To peel small onions, trim them and cut an X in the bottom of each one. Drop them into boiling water for 1 minute. When they’re cool enough to handle, slip off the skins.

You don’t need to brown the beef for this tasty stew; just mix up everything in a heavy casserole and let it bake while you take off for up to 3 hours. Be sure to cover the casserole tightly to prevent the liquid from evaporating. If you would like even more time off for other activities, cook the beef at the lower suggested temperature for an extra hour or two.

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2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

6 carrots, peeled and cut into
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-inch chunks

2 parsnips, peeled and cut into
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-inch chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

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/
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teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

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1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (or 300°F for a longer cooking time). Coat a heavy 3-quart casserole with oil.
   
2. Put the meat in the casserole, and top with the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and onion.
   
3. In a small bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, water, sugar, salt, pepper, and tapioca and pour over the meat and vegetables.
   
4. Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to overhang the top of the casserole by 2 inches all around. Press the paper onto the top of the beef and vegetable mixture and tuck it down around the sides of the contents. Cover the whole thing, using the cover of the casserole or aluminum foil.
   
5. Bake for 2
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   to 3 hours at 325°F or 4 to 5 hours at 300°F.
   

We all know how challenging it is to balance many activities and chores in a day and end up with a decent meal at the end of it. Root vegetables have an affinity for long, slow cooking, and this casserole is a perfect example. The ingredient list is long, but don’t let that deter you. The assembly and cooking are incredibly simple!

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2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1
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-inch cubes

5 stalks celery, cut into
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-inch-thick slices

1 parsnip, peeled and diced

1 medium rutabaga, peeled and diced

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

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cup quick-cooking tapioca

1 teaspoon salt

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teaspoon pepper

1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes with their juice, crushed

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1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy 3-quart casserole, pouring the tomatoes with their juice over all last.
   
2. Place a heavy cover on top of the casserole so that the liquids will not evaporate. If the casserole has no lid, seal the top with aluminum foil, but do not press the foil down on top of the contents of the casserole because foil tends to discolor foods.
   
3. Bake for 5 hours. Remove the cover and serve. It’s as simple as that!
   

In Hungary, goulash is called
gulyas
. This stew of beef and vegetables, flavored with paprika, is delicious over spaetzle—fresh noodles or dumplings made with flour and eggs, which are popular in Eastern Europe and Germany.

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2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, green or yellow, seeded and cut into
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-inch dice

2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika

1
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/
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pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 teaspoons salt

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/
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teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups beef broth,
homemade
or prepared

FOR THE SPAETZLE:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon caraway seeds for garnish

Shredded fresh carrots for garnish

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1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a heavy 2- to 3-quart Dutch oven, heat the oil and add the onion. Sauté the onion over medium heat for 3 minutes; add the bell peppers and paprika and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender.
   
2. Push the vegetables to the side and add the meat. Sprinkle with the salt and cayenne and stir the meat cubes until they are coated with the seasonings. Cover tightly and place in the oven. Bake for 1 to 1
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   hours, or until the meat is tender.
   
3. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in the beef broth until tender. Remove the cooked potatoes with a slotted spoon and transfer to the pot with the meat. Heat the broth to simmering again.
   
4. To make the spaetzle:
   Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Stir the flour into the eggs gradually to make a stiff dough. Alternatively, combine the flour and salt in a food processor with the steel blade in place. Add the eggs and process until the dough is formed. Roll and stretch the dough to make a rope about 12 inches long. Cut into
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   -inch pieces. Drop into the simmering broth to cook. When the spaetzle rise to the top, in about 1 minute, they are done.
   
5. Add the spaetzle and the cooking broth to the goulash, stir to blend, and garnish with the caraway seeds and shredded fresh carrot.