Tag Archives: casserole

Veggie-Forward Moussaka

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“The classic rendering of moussaka with its plush eggplant; dense, earthy potatoes; meat sauce that’s warmed by spices; and satiny béchamel lavished across the top, add up to cozy yet sumptuous festival food for indulging family and friends.” And who doesn’t like to do that every now and again?

Yes, there are many versions, but no matter how it is made, it is a bit of a project. Back in late December 2021, we opted to make a test recipe sent to us from America’s Test Kitchen. It featured a vegetable-forward moussaka, and after we made it we had to fill out a survey regarding the pluses and minuses of making and tasting the dish.

When the article was finally published in the September/October issue of Cook’s Illustrated (CI), the ingredients, and amounts of each hadn’t changed at all.

One issue we mentioned in the survey, was the placing all of the potatoes in the dish and then shingling them. It was cumbersome at best. And in the recent article, CI did not make any changes to that particular step. In our opinion, taken from experience, is to place the spud slices in another bowl, and then when cool enough to handle, start shingling them into the prepared casserole dish.

Here are some notes worth reading prior to making the dish:

→ *Kasseri is a semi firm sheep’s-milk cheese from Greece. If it’s unavailable, substitute a mix of 3 ounces (¾ cup) grated provolone cheese and 1 ½ ounces (¾ cup) grated Pecorino Romano.
→ We like the richness of whole milk for this dish, but you can substitute 2 percent low-fat milk, if desired. Do not use skim milk.
→ Using a mandoline makes quick work of slicing the potatoes.
→ To accommodate all the components, use a baking dish that is at least 2¼ inches tall.

Final verdict? Distinct layers of velvety-firm potatoes; eggplant that was plush and savory; concentrated, fragrant sauce; and béchamel that baked up like a creamy, cheesy cloud! So find an afternoon and treat yourself…

Veggie-Forward Moussaka

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients

Vegetables 

  • 3 ½ lbs. eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 
  • ½ cup, plus 2 tsp., plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
  • 2 tsp. table salt, divided
  • ¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 1 ½ lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, sliced crosswise ¼-inch thick 

Meat Sauce

  • 1 Tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • ½ tsp. table salt 
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 lb. 80 percent lean ground beef 
  • 1 (14.5-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Béchamel

  • 6 Tbsp.unsalted butter
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2½ cups whole milk
  • 4 oz. Kasseri* cheese, shredded (1 cup) 
  • ¼ tsp. table salt 
  • ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten 

Directions

  1. FOR THE VEGETABLES: Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Divide eggplant evenly among baking sheets. Toss each batch with ¼ cup oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, until evenly coated and spread eggplant into single layer. Roast until eggplant is softened and lightly browned, about 30 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through cooking. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
  2. While eggplant is cooking, grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 2 teaspoons oil. In medium bowl, toss potatoes with remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cover and microwave until potatoes can be easily pierced with tip of paring knife, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Transfer potatoes, along with any accumulated liquid, to prepared baking dish and let rest until cool enough to handle, 15 minutes. Shingle evenly in baking dish.
  3. FOR THE MEAT SAUCE: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally until just starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until paste darkens, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits from pan. Add paprika, oregano, pepper flakes, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring frequently until wine is almost completely evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until no pink remains, 4 to 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has almost completely evaporated and spoon leaves trail when dragged through sauce, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in vinegar, cover, and remove from heat.
  4. FOR THE BÉCHAMEL: Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick, smooth, and comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt, and nutmeg. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks and cover to keep warm.
  5. LAYERING: Cover potatoes with eggplant, lightly pressing into even layer. Spread meat sauce in even layer over eggplant. Top with Bechamel.
  6. Bake on middle rack until top of moussaka is deeply browned in spots and is bubbling at edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes before serving.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Original recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

Baked Cajun Seafood and Rice

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Instead of more traditional ground beef lasagna, try this shrimp and crabmeat casserole from Better Homes & Garden. Pair it with a side salad for a satisfying and vegetable-rich dinner.

With the cost of fresh lump carb meat sky-high, refrigerated pasteurized lump crabmeat is an excellent choice over the traditional canned crabmeat or more expensive fresh crab. Look for it at the meat and seafood counter of your supermarket.

When it comes to the rice, measure out 3 cups AFTER it is cooked. The Hubs had an off-moment and cooked too much rice and we used all of it. Although it did not alter the flavor of the dish, it did make it a bit too rice-forward. If you do have extra rice, save it for another meal.

Purchasing a 1-pound bag of frozen salad shrimp made prepping a lot easier because they didn’t need to be peeled and deveined; plus the small size was perfect in the casserole. This is an ideal dish when hosting/attending a potluck lunch or dinner, just make sure to keep it warm until serving time.

Baked Cajun Seafood and Rice

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh or frozen small shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 medium green sweet pepper, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. butter, divided
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme, crushed
  • 3 cup cooked long grain white rice, (1 cup uncooked)
  • 4 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • 8 cups fresh baby kale or spinach, stems removed
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
  • 2 cup milk
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz.)
  • 16 oz. cooked crabmeat, flaked
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz.)
  • ½ cup chopped green onions (4)

Directions

  1. Make rice according to package directions.
  2. Thaw shrimp, if frozen; set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet cook the green pepper, onion, celery, and garlic in 1 tablespoon hot butter over medium heat about 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  3. Stir in thyme; cook and stir for 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cooked rice; stir to combine. Set aside.
  4. In the same skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Add the kale; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until wilted and tender. Remove from heat. Set aside.
  5. In a medium saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and Cajun seasoning; cook and stir for 1 minute.
  6. Stir in milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Reduce heat to low. Add Monterey Jack cheese; stir until cheese melts.
  7. Lightly grease a 4-quart rectangular baking dish. Spread half of the rice mixture over bottom of dish. Layer with half of the kale mixture, half of the shrimp, half of the crabmeat, and half of the cheese sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.
  8. Bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly and lightly golden. Sprinkle with green onions.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Roughly adapted from a recipe for Better Homes & Garden

Cheesy and Creamy Fennel Gratin

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Hands down, one of our most favorite side dishes ever! American chef and cookbook author David Tanis‘ homey but sophisticated Cheesy and Creamy Fennel Gratin casserole, incorporates fresh mozzarella, fennel seed, garlic, crushed red pepper and rosemary, plus a hearty glug of olive oil to help the flavors meld in the oven.

To avoid stringy and tough cooked fennel, David explains in his latest book, “David Tanis Market Cooking,” to blanch the fennel for a few minutes, drain, then run under cold water, a process that just barely tenderizes the fennel slices. The result, after baking, strikes the ideal balance between toothsome bite and jammy caramelized onion.

Since many supermarket mozzarellas lack the creaminess of harder-to-find fresh, Milk Street (where we found this recipe) opts for a blend of shredded fontina and provolone. And mixing Parmesan into panko breadcrumbs creates a solid crust that contrasts with the tender fennel beneath. Finally, a sprinkle of fresh parsley adds a pop of color and grassy notes to balance the cheese. This simple combination elevates the dish into something much more than the sum of its parts, and was a perfect compliment to our rack of lamb entrée.

Important: Don’t use a baking dish or pan that is not broiler safe. After baking, the gratin spends a couple minutes under the broiler to brown the topping, so be sure the vessel can withstand the intense heat.

Cheesy and Creamy Fennel Gratin

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 4 medium fennel bulbs (about 2½ lbs. total), halved lengthwise, cored and sliced about ¼ inch thick
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (¾ cup)
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 oz. fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
  • 4 oz. provolone cheese, shredded (1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper-middle position.
  2. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add the fennel and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under running cold water until cool to the touch. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible, then lay the slices out on a kitchen towel and thoroughly pat them dry.
  3. In a 9-by-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish, toss together the fennel, oil, rosemary, fennel seeds, pepper flakes and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper; distribute in an even layer.
  4. Roast until beginning to brown and a skewer inserted into the fennel meets no resistance, 25 to 30 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the Parmesan, panko and garlic.
  6. Remove the baking dish from the oven and turn on the broiler. Evenly distribute the fontina and provolone over the top of the fennel, then sprinkle on the Parmesan-panko mixture.
  7. Broil until the top is nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

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Adapted by Calvin Cox for Milk Street

Cabbage Roll Casserole

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LOVE this main dish inspired by classic Eastern European cabbage rolls. The super-cozy bake from recipe developer Asha Loupy takes a spin from the lasagna handbook—a Polish Lasagna if you will. Blanched cabbage leaves are stacked with spiced beef ragù and lemony herbed rice for a casserole that’s chock-full of all the flavors of cabbage rolls, without the rolling.

Asha shows us two tricks for the perfect cabbage roll casserole—no mushy rice or soggy bottoms here, thank you. First, reduce the tomatoes until they reach a thick, almost paste-like consistency. This ensures that you’ll get neat slices, without a runny, liquidy sauce. Second, parboil the rice (as you would for tahdig or biryani) and sprinkle it lightly between the layers. This gives the grains room to cook to fluffy perfection while baking.

It took both of us two full hours from start to finish, so it’s not necessarily a quick, easy weeknight meal. However, some make-aheads are the meat sauce, parboiling the rice, and blanching the cabbage leaves up to three days ahead. Cover and chill separately. Then when ready, assemble the casserole just before baking.

If you are not a red meat eater, switch out the ground beef for ground turkey or even plant-based meat to make it vegetarian.

Cabbage Roll Casserole

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch dill (save some fronds for garnish)
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1½ lbs. ground beef; or plant-based meat, or ground turkey
  • 3 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for pan
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 large head of savoy or green cabbage
  • 1¼ cups long-grain rice (such as basmati)
  • 1 lemon, zested over cooked rice (see Step 7)
  • 8 oz. crème fraîche
  • 8 oz. shredded, low-moisture mozzarella

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400°. Start by prepping the beef filling. Coarsely chop 1 large bunch dill (you should get about ¾ cup), then crush and finely chop 3 large garlic cloves. Transfer a third of dill and a third of garlic to a large bowl. Add 1½ lb. ground beef or plant-based meat, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ kosher salt, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper and mix with your hands to incorporate. Set remaining dill and garlic aside separately.
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high until shimmering. Add half of beef mixture, dropping into pot in small clumps. Cook, undisturbed, until deeply browned underneath, about 5 minutes (or about 3 minutes if using plant-based meat). Stir and continue to cook 1 minute (it’s okay if the meat is not fully cooked through, it’ll finish cooking in the sauce). Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef mixture. Wipe out pot.
  3. While the meat is cooking, finely chop 1 large onion.
  4. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in same pot over medium. Add onion and remaining 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook onion, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until softened and starting to turn golden, 6–8 minutes. Add ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, and reserved garlic, and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
  5. Return beef mixture to pot and add one 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes. Break up meat and tomatoes into smaller pieces with spoon. Add ½ cup water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is cooked off and mixture is just a little looser than tomato paste, 20–25 minutes.
  6. While the sauce is cooking, line a large rimmed baking sheet with kitchen towels and bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Using a paring knife, cut about 1″ deep circle around core of 1 large head of savoy or green cabbage. Gently pull off 16–20 cabbage leaves, cutting away from core if needed. (Save any extra cabbage for another use.) Cut a small V in the bottom of each leaf, about ½” big, to remove the thickest part of the fibrous stalk. Working in batches of 3–4 leaves at a time, cook cabbage until just pliable, 10–15 seconds. Transfer to prepared baking sheet with tongs. Pat leaves dry.
  7. Return water to a boil, add rice, and cook, stirring occasionally, until barely al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain rice and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Shake rice well to remove most of the water, then transfer to a medium bowl. Finely grate zest of 1 lemon on Microplane over rice and add reserved dill; mix well to combine.
  8. Rub bottom and sides of a 9×13″ deep lasagna dish with oil. Cover bottom of dish with a single layer of cabbage leaves, overlapping slightly. Set ½ cup sauce aside and spread half of remaining sauce over cabbage. Sprinkle half of rice mixture evenly over sauce. Top with another layer of cabbage leaves, then remaining half of sauce, and remaining rice. Top with a final layer of cabbage leaves.
  9. Spread 8 oz. crème fraîche evenly over cabbage. Dollop reserved sauce on top. Grate 8 oz. low-moisture mozzarella on the large holes of a box grater and sprinkle over. Cover dish with foil and set on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover dish and increase oven temperature to 425°. Continue to bake until cheese is golden brown and bubbling, 18–20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish lightly with dill fronds.
  10. Any leftovers can be cooled, sliced into squares, packed in lock-n-locks with a tight lid and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Do ahead: Meat sauce can be made, rice can be parboiled, and cabbage leaves can be blanched 3 days ahead. Cover and chill separately. Assemble casserole just before baking.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Asha Loupy for Bon Appétit

Eggplant Involtini

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Here’s a lighter version of Eggplant Involtini that focuses on the eggplant. Baking instead of frying allows you to skip the salting and draining step, since the eggplant’s excess moisture evaporates in the oven, and it means that the eggplant’s flavor and meaty texture are not obscured by oil and breading. This was sooo good, we can’t wait to make it again!

Swapping the usual ricotta-heavy filling for one that’s boosted with a generous dose of Pecorino Romano means we can use less filling without sacrificing flavor. Lastly, make a simple but complementary tomato sauce in a skillet, add the eggplant bundles to it, and finish it under the broiler, which decreases the number of dishes required—always a plus in our book!

Of course we put our own spin on the dish, first by utilizing the pieces of eggplant cut away before planking them. What a waste it would be to discard all of that—about 3 cups worth! So we cubed those leftover pieces into about a 3/8″ dice and sautéed them in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil until softened before adding the tomatoes to the same skillet.



Now here comes the real twist. We added very thin slices of prosciutto on top of the eggplant slices before spooning on the cheese filling. Of course this step makes it no longer vegetarian, but that extra ingredient added even more depth of flavor. And we served ours with a side of gemelli pasta, which negates the low-carb factor, if you’re not concerned with that aspect.

  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 large eggplants (1 1/2 pounds each), peeled
  • 9 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ tsp. dried oregano
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, hand crushed coarsely in their juices
  • 1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 ½ oz. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 4 oz. very thin slices of prosciutto, cut in half crosswise (optional)

Directions

  1. Slice each eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks (you should have 12-15 planks). Trim rounded surface from each end piece so it lies flat.
  2. Cut up those leftover rounded pieces into a 3/8″ dice and sauté them in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in your large skillet until softened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Adjust 1 oven rack to lower-middle position and second rack 8 inches from broiler element. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and spray generously with vegetable oil spray. Arrange eggplant slices in single layer on prepared sheets. Brush 1 side of eggplant slices with 2 1/2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Flip eggplant slices and brush with 2 1/2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  4. Bake until tender and lightly browned, 30 to 35 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cool for 5 minutes. Using thin spatula, flip each slice over. Heat broiler.
  5. While eggplant planks cook, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the diced eggplant in same broiler-safe skillet over medium-low heat until just shimmering. Add garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in hand crushed tomatoes and their juice. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Cover and set aside.
  6. Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses. Combine bread crumbs, ricotta, 1/2 cup Pecorino, 1/4 cup basil, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl.
  7. With widest ends of eggplant slices facing you, place a half slice of prosciutto, if using, on the wide end of each plank. Next, evenly distribute ricotta mixture on bottom third of each slice. Gently roll up each eggplant slice and place seam side down in tomato sauce.
  8. Bring sauce to simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and broil until eggplant is well browned and cheese is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Pecorino and let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon basil and serve.

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Adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook for America’s Test Kitchen