Read Ebook: How to Cook in Casserole Dishes by Neil Marion Harris

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Ebook has 1600 lines and 72863 words, and 32 pages

The cooking in casserole dishes is slow but thorough, and all the nutritious elements in the viands are preserved in their integrity. The cover must fit snugly to each utensil, to prevent too rapid escaping of the aromas and flavors. Sometimes a strip of cloth, spread with a soft paste of flour and water or mashed potatoes, is pressed over the joining of the casserole and the cover, and the heat of the oven finishes the sealing of the dish. When the dish is ready to serve, the strip of cloth and paste is removed.

The use of a casserole is economical. The actual cooking is effected slowly and evenly, consequently less fuel is used in cooking. Once the materials have been started on their culinary way they require little attention. A casserole dish may be placed in the oven or on the stove; it may be used for steamed food or as a chafing dish.

The cleanliness and wholesomeness of a casserole make it especially valuable in preparing food for the invalid and the convalescent.

In the cooking of fruits and vegetables, especially for canning, the casserole is invaluable. The earthenware is not attacked by fruit acids, therefore cannot give rise to any noxious product.

Any dish which requires slow, gentle cooking can be prepared in a casserole, and hash, curry, and other r?chauff?s are far superior in flavor when recooked in earthenware than in metal. The stew, or whatever it is, may be left to get cold in the casserole. The color would be spoiled if this were done with an ordinary saucepan.

The flavor of the food cooked is brought out best when it is prepared in an earthenware dish.

The fact that a casserole is a non-conductor of heat makes it more economical to use than other ware.

The amount of water, liquid, or stock in which the article is to be cooked should be relatively small, and, in general, seasoned. For stews, ragouts, etc., it is better to cook the meat in a nicely seasoned sauce, that it may absorb the flavor in cooking. The time, in general, should be multiplied by two; that is, if the recipe calls for thirty minutes; cook in the casserole in the oven for about sixty minutes. The heat of the oven should be about 212 degrees Fahrenheit or less, that the liquid in the casserole may simmer, not boil.

When vegetables are to be cooked--and nearly all vegetables are wonderfully better when cooked by this method--a small amount of water, in many cases seasoned stock, should be used.

Left-overs, salads, and small entr?es of all kinds may be served in a most attractive manner in ramequins or individual casseroles.

The crowning advantage of casserole cooking, especially in a family where for one cause or another meals are apt to be irregular, is that the dish can be kept waiting for a considerable time without deterioration. Food can be left in a casserole with perfect safety as long as desired.

HOW TO CARE FOR CASSEROLE DISHES

The cook who has been accustomed to the use of iron, granite, copper, aluminum, or other metal cooking utensils will necessarily have something to learn when adopting earthenware. It must be realized that it is a method of slow cookery, and cannot be hurried. Before being used for the first time the vessels should be soaked in cold water for some hours, as this will go far toward saving them from cracking on their first exposure to heat. There need be little risk of this if the heat be applied gradually, and this principle should always be observed; although as the utensils become seasoned by constant use the risk of accident is materially lessened. In many places garlic is considered indispensable, the new dishes being rubbed with a clove of it, "to prevent their cracking." Never place the vessels on the stove or within the oven without either water or fat in them. Never put a casserole roughly on a metal surface, especially if it is full or partly full.

Sudden alternations of temperature should be avoided, that is to say, the casserole should not be taken off the range or out of the oven and placed in cold water or on the wet sink, and vice vers?. A fierce heat is never needed or desirable.

If the cooking is done on an ordinary coal range the fire holes should be kept closed and the heat received through the top lids; if a gas range be employed, the gas jets should be kept low, and not allowed to flare round the utensil. When cooking is being done on the top of the range with wood, coal, gas, or oil as the fuel, an asbestos mat placed underneath will modify the heat. The asbestos mat may also be used in the oven. If the heat must be intense for other food in progress of cooking at the same time as an earthenware dish is in the oven, the heat may be controlled by placing the casserole in a pan of hot water which can be lowered in temperature by occasional supplies of cold water added to the hot water.

The adoption of these simple precautions will make easy the use of earthenware utensils. Marmites, ramequins, cocottes, au gratin dishes, and souffl? cases all come under the head of casseroles.

SOUP RECIPES

BROWN SOUP WITH FORCEMEAT BALLS

Melt the butter in a large marmite, let it get brown, then brown in it the onions, cut in rings; remove the onions from the pot, and brown the flour in the butter; then add the water and the kitchen bouquet, stir till smooth, allow this to boil, put back the onions, and add the vegetables cut into neat pieces, the meat cut up into small pieces, and the seasoning; simmer for one and a half hours, remove the meat, and rub through a sieve as much of the vegetables with the soup as possible.

Put the soup back into the marmite with the meat and some forcemeat balls ; simmer again for fifteen minutes, skim off the fat if necessary, and serve in small fireproof dishes.

FORCEMEAT BALLS

Beat up the egg and mix in the above ingredients, form into tiny balls, roll in flour, and add to the soup.

BROWN STOCK

Wipe the meat and cut it into small square pieces. Break up the bones and remove the marrow. Put the bones and the meat into a large casserole, cover with the water, and bring slowly to boiling point; skim thoroughly, then add all the other ingredients, and simmer for four hours; then strain, and when cold remove the fat.

The bones may be boiled down again for cheaper stock.

To brown the onions place them with the skin on in a tin and set in the oven until brown.

CHEESE SOUP WITH SAVORY CUSTARD

Pare and slice the vegetables and fry them in the butter with the herbs, mace, and whole peppers for five minutes, then add the flour and the stock; simmer for one hour, rub through a sieve; mix together the egg yolks, cream, and grated cheese, add to the soup and reheat, taking care that it does not boil.

Meanwhile prepare a savory custard as follows: Put half a cupful of stock and one tablespoonful of grated cheese into a small saucepan and bring to boiling point. Beat up two eggs with salt and pepper to taste, strain the stock to them, pour into one or two small buttered molds, stand in a pan of hot water, allowing the water to come within half an inch of the top of the molds; place in the oven, and when set turn out and allow to cool, cut into dice, divide into petites marmites, and pour over the soup.

OYSTER OR CLAM BISQUE

Put the clams into a casserole, slice the onion and the carrot, and add them with the bay leaf, parsley, and stock.

Simmer for one and a half hours, then strain; return to the casserole and add the needed salt and pepper.

Blend the butter and flour together and add them with enough cream to make two pints. Simmer for five minutes and add the wine when serving.

CREAM OF BARLEY SOUP

Put the stock into a fireproof pot, add the barley, onions, carrots, bay leaf and parsley and simmer for three hours.

When almost ready, add the yolks of the eggs mixed with the milk, wine, and seasonings. Press through a sieve and reheat.

Divide the hot peas into earthenware handled cups, pour over the soup, and serve very hot.

CREAM OF SALSIFY SOUP

Clean the salsify, throwing at once into cold water to prevent their turning dark. Put them into an earthenware dish with water to well cover and cook till very tender, then rub through a sieve.

Return to the casserole and add to the pulp two cupfuls of the milk, onion juice, chopped parsley, salt and pepper to season.

Have ready the remaining milk, thickened with the butter and the flour rubbed together, add to the salsify, and heat thoroughly.

Just before serving stir in the beaten yolks of the eggs mixed with the cream.

Pour into hot marmites. Have ready the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, put a spoonful of the egg on the top of each marmite, and sprinkle over the chopped pistachio nuts.

Serve hot.

FISH SOUP

Skin and fillet the fish. Put the fish bones, skin, and any other fish trimmings into an earthenware pot with the stock or water and the salt; bring to the boil and skim well, add the bay leaf, the onion, and celery cut into small pieces; simmer for one and a half hours; then strain. Melt the butter in the pan, add the flour, stir till smooth, then add the milk; allow this to boil for four minutes, add the soup, the parsley, and the fish cut into small pieces; season nicely, simmer for fifteen minutes, and serve hot.

FRUIT SOUP

Put one quart of the water into a fireproof utensil, add the cloves, cinnamon, lemon and orange peels, and the bitter almonds.

Allow to remain for one hour, then simmer for fifteen minutes.

Strain and return to the pan, add the tapioca and the remainder of the water, and simmer until clear; then add the sugar, salt, and fruit juice.

Serve hot.

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