In classic French cooking, a casserole is a dish generally made with a cooked rice moulded into the shape of a casserole or timbale; it can also be made be made in a duchees potato mould. Rarely made nowadays, these dishes can have a various fillings, including mousses, fat or lean minced meat, game purée, calves' or lambs' sweetbreads, escalopes of truffled foie gras, etc. Casseroles can also be garnished à la Sagan, à la vénitienne, à la bouquetière, à la régence, à la Nantua, etc. If the contents are cold they can be glazed with aspic jelly.
Carême also gave a recipe for individual rice casseroles (casserolettes), approximately 2 1/2 inches tall and 2 1/4 inches in diameter. they are placed on a baking sheet in a hot oven and cooked until evenly coloured.
Hearty casseroles are the best way to take the chill out of cold winter weather, or for any other time of year. Fortunately, however, hearty doesn't have to mean high fat. By putting the focus on grains such as pasta, rice and barley, as well as pumping up the vegetables and cutting back on the fat, family favourites can be adapted to fit a healthy diet. Here, we've taken old standbys and made them lighter and leaner, most with make ahead instructions, too! And we've cooked up a few new ideas that are perfect for holiday potluck parties.
Casserole cookery is extremely convenient because the ingredients are cooked and served in the same dish. A casserole's ingredients can include meat, vegetables, beans, rice and anything else that might seem appropriate. Often a topping such as cheese or bread crumbs is added for texture and flavour.
