Creative Casseroles
The word casserole is said to have come from the French and Italian words “cassa” and “cattia” meaning a large deep dish used to cook and serve food and ladle. Both words lead to the notion that they were describing types of foods cooked together in a central pot and shared amongst two or more diners.
Many nationalities have their versions of one pot dishes and are considered comfort foods in the eyes of those who eat them.
In North America, casseroles grew in popularity during both world wars and the depression era as they allowed the home cook to prepare an economical dish quickly and easily using few ingredients. In the 1950’s the Campbell’s Soup Company brought new life to the casserole by creating recipes using their brands of canned soup.
Some common examples of traditional casseroles include
Spanish- Paella Italian-Lasagna Irish-Lamb Stew
Generally speaking, most casseroles contain each of the following ingredients
Protein-chicken, beef, pork, cheese
Starch-rice, potatoes, pasta
Vegetables- including onions, celery, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes etc.
Sauce/Liquid- this may be a cream based, tomato based or gravy based sauce
Spices- Spices should be complimentary to the ingredients and cultural make up of the dish.
Friday Challenge-Get Cooking!
Using the worksheet provided, write down your rough plan and submit to me by Wednesday (this gives me time to approve and purchase the supplies).
Make sure that each group member is participating equally in the planning, preparation and clean-up of this task. Each group member should be prepared to present their casserole to the class 20 minutes prior to the end of class on Friday. The winning casserole will be featured at an upcoming Toonie Lunch.
The word casserole is said to have come from the French and Italian words “cassa” and “cattia” meaning a large deep dish used to cook and serve food and ladle. Both words lead to the notion that they were describing types of foods cooked together in a central pot and shared amongst two or more diners.
Many nationalities have their versions of one pot dishes and are considered comfort foods in the eyes of those who eat them.
In North America, casseroles grew in popularity during both world wars and the depression era as they allowed the home cook to prepare an economical dish quickly and easily using few ingredients. In the 1950’s the Campbell’s Soup Company brought new life to the casserole by creating recipes using their brands of canned soup.
Some common examples of traditional casseroles include
Spanish- Paella Italian-Lasagna Irish-Lamb Stew
Generally speaking, most casseroles contain each of the following ingredients
Protein-chicken, beef, pork, cheese
Starch-rice, potatoes, pasta
Vegetables- including onions, celery, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes etc.
Sauce/Liquid- this may be a cream based, tomato based or gravy based sauce
Spices- Spices should be complimentary to the ingredients and cultural make up of the dish.
Friday Challenge-Get Cooking!
- In your groups create an original, economical, exciting (and tasty) casserole dish.
- Choose the type of cultural influence your dish will have- Italian? Asian? Spanish?
- Select the protein, starch and the types of vegetables you will use.
- What kind of sauce will you create? Tomato, gravy, or cream-based? (no canned soup bases can be used!)
- How much of each product will you need to make 6-8 servings (Check other internet casserole recipes to have an idea of quantity)?
- What spices and seasonings will you need to create your masterpiece? How will you balance the flavours to produce a well-rounded dish?
Using the worksheet provided, write down your rough plan and submit to me by Wednesday (this gives me time to approve and purchase the supplies).
Make sure that each group member is participating equally in the planning, preparation and clean-up of this task. Each group member should be prepared to present their casserole to the class 20 minutes prior to the end of class on Friday. The winning casserole will be featured at an upcoming Toonie Lunch.