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By HELEN W. SMITH
Extension A|ent, Home Economic*
The word casserole, which is French, means different things to different people. Most of us in America define a casserole as a mixed-up dish which is baked in the oven and comes out with a browned top. The definition according to Webster and some cooking experts is much broader. In French terms, a casserole dish is not necessarily browned at all, and it can be cooked on top of the range or in the oven and run under the broiler for browning if it happens to require that type of finish. We often say we are serving “a casserole,” meaning the food itself. But the French say they cook “en casserole,” referring to the container, not the contents.
Casserole basics
Most casseroles have: a starch food. . .potatoes, bread, rice, or some type of pasta; a protein food. . .meat, cheese, eggs, beans; and a sauce. . .to bind the ingredients together. Soup, gravy, broth, bouillon, tomato juice or sauce or a white sauce may constitute the liquid.
Advantages of casserole cookery
Why do we fix casseroles and one-dish dinners? Aside from the sheer pleasure of eating them, there are practical reasons for casserole cookery. Casseroles are a food saver; they give left-overs a new lease on life. Because they use up leftovers, casseroles can help save money. They make it possible to extend Sunday’s roast into Monday’s rice casserole and Tuesday’s stew. Actually, I use the term “plannedovers” instead of “left-overs” at my house. It may be psychological, but it sounds better.
Casseroles are also a time-saver. Double a recipe. Cook one and freeze one to have on hand for a busy day.
How to freeze casseroles
Freeze most casseroles before baking, especially when all the ingredients are already cooked. Exceptions to this are dishes that contain uncooked rice, raw vegetables, or uncooked meat that has been frozen and thawed.
Do not freeze mixtures containing hard-cooked egg whites, raw vegetables, mayonnaise, or sour cream.
Undercook starchy ingredients such as beans, rice, and noodles, as they can become mushy when frozen. Potatoes become especially soft.
Freeze casserole toppings separately to keep them from becoming soggy. Keep a supply of plain or buttered crumbs in the freezer to use on frozen casseroles.
Do not freeze baked pastry; add fresh or frozen unbaked pastry during reheating.
Season foods lightly before freezing, then add more when reheating. Cloves, pepper, garlic, and celery become stronger on freezing; onion, salt, and chili powder weaken.
Freeze casseroles either in quantities just right for your family or in individual servings.
To freeze:
Chill hot casserole rapidly. Set pan of hot food in ice water; cool to room temperature. Wrap, label, and freeze.
When possible, use shallow baking dishes to speed freezing and thawing of casseroles.
Allow some headspace to permit expansion of food.
Cover casseroles with moisturevapor proof material such as freezer paper, heavy foil, plastic wrap, or a tight-fitting lid. Fix tape around the edges to make a tight seal. Label contents, number of servings, and date of freezing.
One handy way to freeze a casserole is to line the dish with heavy foil, leaving a long overhang; prepare casserole as directed. Seal foil over food; freezer. When frozen, remove wrapped casserole from dish. Label and store in the freezer. Reheat in the same casserole dish.
To serve:
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