Search "casserole" in DK images. Lots of familiar names.
This isn’t the first, nor will it be the last casserole diary here. In fact, I’ll predict right here and now that between this diary and next year’s at this time, out of 52 diaries at least 6 will feature a casserole of some sort.
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In fact, in this past year I’ve already written at least one casserole diary. But as I was prepping this diary, a voice in my head said “but was that REALLY a casserole, or is it a jumped up savory bread pudding type thing?”
Well. I can answer that.
The etymology of “casserole” likely dates back to the Greek “kuathion,” meaning “little cup.” The word eventually morphed into the Medieval Latin “cattia” and settled on “cassole” or “casserole,” the French diminutive of “casse”—essentially meaning “pan.” By the eighteenth century, the English-speaking world used the word “casserole” to refer to a dish of cooked rice with a meaty filling baked in the oven.
Casserole-style cooking grew in popularity because it was convenient and easy, allowing you to cook and serve a meal in the same dish. Home cooks could essentially use a low oven as a slow cooker, leaving a casserole to cook for an extended period.
The convenience factor was responsible for the casserole’s resurgence in the twentieth century, when the introduction of processed and canned foods made it possible to combine already prepared components into a semi-homemade weeknight dinner.
So linguistically speaking, what exactly is a “casserole” can be many things. The French word “cassole” is the basis for the peasant dish “cassoulet”, as cassoulet refers to the pan it is cooked in. Much like paella is named for the pan it is cooked in.
Using the definition in the quoted passage, one can also call biryani a casserole. And in fact, if you google it, there are a LOT of articles which call it just that.
But I feel I’m starting to ramble. Think holidays. So much casserole. Green beans? Check. That stuffing you baked? Casserole. That God awful sweet potato thing with all the syrup and marshmallows? Casserole. That bread pudding for brunch? Casserole. Pasta al forno? Casserole. Lasagna? Casserole. Gratin? Yes, that too is a casserole. A gratin dish is a specialized casserole. Even baked macaroni and cheese is a casserole.
You can make a casserole a day for a year and never repeat the same one. I did a search for “noodle casseroles”, and on the Allrecipes website found many. At the bottom of the page, it has a section called “explore casseroles” and they list over a dozen categories, and that’s only scratching the surface.
And of course, every style has variations. For instance, I Googled “savory kugel” and got a ton of recipes.
So why this long discourse on casseroles? Welp, it’s Lent at this writing, which means no flesh from a warm blooded animal (cause let’s face it, fish is still meat). And so I made one of my all time favorite noodle casseroles. In fact, it’s THE casserole.
Yup. That’s the one.
Now EVERYONE has a recipe for tuna casserole. Mine is of course the best, because it’s my Mom’s recipe. And Mom’s is ALWAYS the best. But I have tweaked it here and there every time I make it. But enough talk. Here’s how I do it.
First tweak. I use a LOT more tuna than Mom did because I need the protein because bariatric patient. Second tweak. I use mostly canned cream of celery soup because it just tastes better. Third tweak. I’ve started to sauté my mushrooms and onions because the flavor beats raw onions and canned mushrooms. So on to the build. I used:
5 6.5oz foil packs of tuna in oil. And I keep the oil. This is new for me, as I’ve used canned tuna in water most often before. I’d love to use the jarred Tonnino tuna, but it’s hella expensive for casserole.
1 can Del Monte fire roasted corn (my mom liked to use peas, and they’re tasty, but nah.)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 cans cream of celery soup
Digression: At one point I used to add sour cream as well. I learned I don’t really need it.
8oz sautéed pre sliced mushrooms along side 6oz pre diced and sautéed onions. Because convenience is worth a dollar or two. And butter.
Some form of a f**k ton of garlic. Today I used squeeze roasted garlic paste and regular garlic paste. I probably could have used more
Seasonings (add till the ancestors approve): Salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, nori furikake, and Makes S**t Good.
Digression Part Deux: At the last moment I thought “What the heck” and added some (cheap—here’s the link) saffron for aroma. I am liking the smell, so good on me.
1 pound rigatoni. My Mom always used rigatoni, so do I. It’s perfect to capture all that gooey mixture. But use your preferred noodle. That’s just you cooking, as Chef John says.
Digression Part Trois: Yes, I have a pan that can handle more than twice this amount, but even I sometimes hold back.
Sliced cheese to top: My mom used American almost exclusively. I, on the other hand, like to experiment. I’ve used Cheddar, Muenster, Smoked Gouda, etc., and tonight I’m using Sargento Smoked Provolone.
So now the steps in pictures:
1. Sautee mushrooms and onions
The Mix
Par cooking the noods
All mixed into the casserole
After baking and adding the sliced cheese on top
I KNOW, right?
And it’s BETTER than it looks. The saffron REALLY added aroma. SO MUCH aroma. You can TASTE the aroma. But Oh My Giddy Aunt is it GOOD.
So this was the first of the meals I cooked and meal planned for this past Lenten season.
So what else was on tap during the Lenten season? My mom’s fish chowder, some karaage style smelts with mac and cheese. Lobster Bechamel. Store bought pierogies drippings with butter. Tuna casserole AGAIN. That fake crab and cheese casserole served at Chinese buffets. (A future diary—watch for it). Some baked grilled cheese sammiches (double extra butter to grease up the bread real good).
I have a Thing tonight, so no cooking for me. Instead I did my meal prep yesterday. Bachelor cooking. Sauteed corn in butter (lots of butter) with pepper, done slow so the corn soaks up the butter and it caramelizes, brown some carne picada with some scallions, box mac and cheese, and throw the whole lot together and mix it up.
I’ll drop by and rec and comment after the Thing.
So everyone, fill the comments with YOUR favorite casserole recipes, be it breakfast strata, dinner, or whatever time you want a hot dish.
And speaking of hot dish, I’ll leave you with a hot dish themed episode of Guy Noir, Private Eye
