Cooking for Two (11 page)

N
o list of casserole favorites would be complete without tamale pie: a rich, spicy pork ragoût, baked under a cornmeal crust. Our version uses a lean cut of pork (to cut down on the fat) and sliced zucchini (to add moisture back to the baked dish, moisture usually supplied by fattier cuts of pork). Make the filling before you make the crust—the cornmeal will harden even at room temperature if allowed to stand unattended. Nonetheless, make sure the crust is starting to firm up even before you spoon it onto the dish. If it doesn’t—because of the day’s humidity, most likely—add a little extra cornmeal to the mixture for firmness.

1.
Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.
Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil, then toss in the onion and cook for 3 minutes, or
until soft and aromatic, stirring frequently. Stir in the chopped pepper and garlic; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the diced pork and cook for about 2 more minutes, or just until the meat loses its pink color, stirring occasionally.

3.
Stir in the diced zucchini and cook for 1 minute, just until slightly limp. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the cinnamon; continue cooking for about 20 seconds. Once the spices are fragrant, stir in the tomatoes (and their juice) and the cilantro, then bring the mixture to a boil undisturbed. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Pour this mixture into a shallow 1-quart casserole dish; set aside.

4.
Bring the water, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt to a full boil in a small saucepan set over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and sprinkle the cornmeal into the still-boiling water in a slow, steady, thin stream, just a few grains at a time, stirring constantly. Once all the cornmeal has been added, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for about 3 minutes, or until thick but very smooth, stirring constantly. If the mixture dried out too quickly or is sandy in texture, add additional water in 1 tablespoon increments until smooth, like cooked Cream of Wheat. Remove the pan from the heat and let the cornmeal stand for about 1 minute, just until you can tell it’s starting to firm up. Spoon the mixture over the pork filling in the casserole dish, gently spreading it over the dish to create a top crust.

5.
Place the casserole on a lipped baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling up around the edges. Let stand for 5 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Once the casserole’s dished up into bowls, you can top it with one or several of the following, if you wish:

T
URKEY
T
ETRAZZINI
makes
a 1-quart casserole

T
his long-time lunchroom favorite still has a place in our smaller baking dishes. Better yet, we’ve updated it a bit with a thickened mushroom broth rather than a palate-drenching cream sauce. While some versions make the dish on top of the stove, we’ve stuck with the original ’50s method of baking the casserole in the oven, where the flavors have a chance to meld and deepen. That way, you won’t even notice the missing cream.

1.
Place the dried shiitakes in a medium bowl and cover them with the boiling water. Set aside to soak for about 15 minutes, or until soft. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid. (The liquid may be sandy. If so, strain it through a colander lined with cheesecloth or paper towels.) Rinse the mushrooms, removing any sand from their gills by running your fingers across them under running water. Cut off their stems and discard; thinly slice the caps.

3.
Melt ½ tablespoon of the butter in a medium skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the turkey strips and sauté for about 2 minutes, or just until no longer pink. Transfer the strips to a plate and return the skillet to medium heat.

4.
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the melted butter, let the flour stand in the sizzling butter for 10 seconds, then whisk to combine. Once it’s pastelike, begin whisking in the reserved, strained mushroom soaking liquid in a slow, steady stream. Continue whisking and cooking for about 20 seconds, or just until the mixture returns to a boil and begins to thicken.

5.
Whisk in the sour cream, sherry, mustard, salt, pepper, and scallions. Cook for only 10 seconds, just until heated through; then stir in the sliced mushrooms, the turkey strips, any juice accumulated on the plate, and 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cooked spaghetti. Pour this mixture into a 1-quart round soufflé dish and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese.

6.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Two teaspoons of sweet paprika gives the casserole a Hungarian flare. One teaspoon of caraway seeds gives it a taste reminiscent of German casseroles. And increasing the mustard to 2 teaspoons and adding 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon makes it decidedly French. Add any of these additional spices to the pan with the sour cream.

C
HICKEN
P
OT
P
IE
makes
a 1-quart casserole or two 2-cup servings

R
emember frozen chicken pot pies? Some of us probably ate them on the nights our parents went out, or maybe for Sunday supper: that flaky crust, the rich chicken stew inside. Okay, it’s better in memory, no doubt. But one thing’s for sure: chicken pot pies are great when they’re made from scratch, with a buttery biscuit topping and the chicken simmered in a creamy sauce. You can make this dish in either a shallow 1-quart casserole dish or in two 2-cup ramekins for individual servings.

1.
Place the chicken thighs in a small saucepan, cover with the water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.
Remove the chicken thighs from the saucepan. Skim the cooking liquid of any visible fat and impurities. Bring to a boil again over high heat, then continue boiling undisturbed for about 3 minutes, or until
the liquid is reduced to ½ cup. If there are any impurities again on the surface, carefully skim them off, then set the reduced cooking liquid aside. Skin the chicken thighs, debone them, and roughly chop the meat. Set aside.

3.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the carrots soften and the onion is very fragrant, stirring frequently. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour evenly over the vegetables. Cook for an additional 30 seconds undisturbed.

4.
Whisk in the reduced ½ cup cooking liquid in a thin stream; continue whisking over medium heat for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture thickens. Whisk in the milk, ½ teaspoon of the salt, the sage, thyme, and pepper; cook for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Stir in the chicken meat and peas. Divide this mixture between two 2-cup ramekins, or place in a shallow 1-quart casserole dish. Set aside while you prepare the biscuit topping.

5.
Mix the remaining
cup of the flour and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Cut in the remaining 3 tablespoons of the butter with a pastry cutter or with two forks until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in 2 tablespoons ice water with a fork; continue stirring until a dough forms. You may need to add more ice water, depending on the day’s humidity and the flour’s density. If more ice water is needed, add it in ¼ teaspoon increments, stirring thoroughly with a fork until a soft dough forms. Drop this dough by tablespoonfuls onto the chicken mixture in the ramekins or in the casserole, covering as much of the surface as possible.