A HARTE APPETITE: EXCHANGING TASTES: CASSEROLES BLEND FOOD FLAVORS

"In the history of cookery, there are few names more blighted than casserole," says Russ Parsons of the Los Angeles Times. "Mention it and heads politely turn away. Stomachs just turn."

I know first-hand what Parsons is talking about. I can recall vividly the time some 20 years ago when I suggested to my colleagues on a committee planning a banquet for a national convention that we consider something on the order of a casserole. I was very nearly ejected from the room. What I had in mind, of course, was not what the celebrated food writer M.F.K. Fisher called "a careless or stupid mishmash of unrelated foods hiding in what may be our national dish," but something, in my judgment, far more noble.

But I probably should have anticipated the negative reaction, for most people have doubtless been subjected to some awful casseroles, though, I hope, none so dreadful as the one delightfully recounted by Ruth Reichl, the New York Times restaurant critic, in her new memoir. Made by her mother, a notoriously bad cook, it sent 26 people to the hospital. But everyone can probably remember eating a casserole which, though digestible without medical attention, nonetheless was bad enough to justify the term's unsavory reputation. (The tuna strata my wife made for me the first year we were married and which she has never made again comes to mind.) Perhaps that explains why the new edition of the classic "Joy of Cooking" contains scarcely a mention of the term casserole (though it does retain the recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini) whereas the previous edition devoted several paragraphs to the concept and included nearly 50 casserole recipes. Fisher is right, I suppose, when she remarks that casseroles are "an American phenomenon, like Cokes and chewing gum, and by many traditionalists they are put somewhat disdainfully into the same category."

It's both ironic and unfortunate that the casserole is not universally well regarded. Ironic because at one time it was thought to be haute cuisine, identified by Alexander Dumas in his Grand Dictionnaire de cuisine as the "principal ornament" of the culinary art. (Though in fairness he may not have had in mind what has evolved into the American casserole of today.) More to the point, the disrepute of the casserole is unfortunate because, properly conceived and executed, it can be one of the most palatable dishes imaginable. Indeed, Faye Levy, who has written a book on the subject, points out that casseroles capitalize on something called the "flavor exchange principle" wherein ingredients cooked together impart flavor to each other to produce a new taste.

A casserole, after all, is merely a combination of foods cooked together, and usually served, in one dish. The Larousse Gastronomique defines it more or less this way -- and then goes on to add, "Such a dish is very popular in homes where there are no servants to help prepare or serve meals." Clearly, this definition embraces a host of grand culinary creations. Lasagna is a casserole. So is jambalaya. So is Greek moussaka. So too are the classic French cassoulet and the national dish of Spain, paella, not to mention Mexican chilaquiles and Moroccan tagine. In no way whatsoever are these second class concoctions, and people are beginning to discover that, as Restaurant Business magazine reports. Casseroles and one-dish meals have become fashionable items at restaurants around the country. For example, shepherd's pie is a staple at the California-based Cheesecake Factory chain. Maybe that's because casseroles are fundamentally comfort food. A few bites of, say, Campbell's Green Bean Bake, or just the sight of it piping hot from the oven, can flood us with good memories. (Incidentally, that classic casserole of green beans, mushroom soup, and French-fried onions is still, nearly 50 years after it was invented, the Campbell Co.'s most requested recipe.)

So it's time, I think, to give casseroles their due. Not only are they delicious and satisfying but they're simple to prepare, can be made well in advance and even frozen, take well to reheating (some even taste better the second time around), are ideal for feeding a big crowd, and are a great way to use leftovers. (Don't think that using leftovers, they call it cross-utilization in the industry, isn't as much a concern for restaurants as it is for home cooks.) And what is more, as Faye Levy observes, casseroles are well suited to entertaining because they hold "a certain element of surprise." She says, "Your guests don't always know what flavors they will discover under the crust or the top layer of bubbling sauce." I predict you'll like what you discover in the following recipes.

Tagine of Lamb with Prunes

The word tagine, like the word casserole, can refer both to a cooking vessel and the dish that's cooked in it. The pot usually has a conical lid and is made of earthenware. The dish is a Moroccan specialty. This particular version, from Kitty Morse's "Cooking at the Kasbah," is an exceptional one that doesn't taste as sweet as you might expect. You can leave out the saffron for economy's sake if you wish and, I suspect, the dish would be just as good with pork instead of lamb.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 pounds leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks

2 onions

1 cup chicken broth

8 threads saffron

15 fresh cilantro sprigs, tied with cotton string

1 cup pitted prunes

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pepper

salt to taste

1 tablespoon toasted unhulled sesame seeds

Directions:

In Dutch oven over medium-high heat saute turmeric, ginger, and lamb in olive oil until meat is well coated and lightly browned. Finely dice one onion and add to meat. Add broth, cilantro, and saffron. (If using saffron toast 2-3 minutes in a nonstick pan, stirring constantly, before crushing into pot.) Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for an hour or so until meat is tender. Discard cilantro and remove meat, keeping warm. Bring sauce in pot to a simmer and add prunes, honey, cinnamon, pepper, and remaining onion, sliced, and season with salt. Cook until mixture thickens, about 6-8 minutes and spoon sauce over meat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serves 4.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

The King Ranch, where this dish originated, is considered the birthplace of American ranching. Founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King it is the largest ranch in the world. The dish, a common one in Texas, is typically loaded with fat and calories but has been slimmed down considerably in this recipe from Vegetarian Times. The magazine, true to its mission, recommends using vegetable stock and substituting tofu for the chicken, but I have put the meat back in while retaining the other healthy modifications.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed (or tofu if you prefer)

1 cup onions, finely chopped

1 cup green pepper, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon chili powder, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 1/2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream or yogurt

salt to taste

8 flour tortillas (6-inch size)

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

paprika for garnish

Directions:

Combine chicken or tofu, onion, pepper, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder and cumin and set aside. Whisk flour into stock and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream or yogurt, remaining chili powder, and salt. In casserole dish layer tortillas, chicken or tofu mixture, and tomatoes alternately, beginning and ending with tortillas. Pour sauce over casserole, sprinkle with cheese and paprika, and bake at 350 degrees about 30-35 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serves 8.

Apple-Apricot Noodle Pudding

This recipe, from Faye Levy's book, "The New Casserole," demonstrates that casseroles don't always have to be main courses. Some, such as Jewish sweet noodle kugels, are enjoyed as desserts.

Ingredients:

14 ounces medium egg noodles

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter

3 Golden Delicious Apples (about 1.5 pounds)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup blanched almonds, chopped

1/2 cup diced dried apricots

4 eggs, separated

Directions:

Cook noodles in boiling water until barely tender. Rinse with cold water and drain. Peel, core, and slice apples and saute in two batches in 2 tablespoons butter for about 5 minutes. Combine apples, ginger, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and saute one minute longer, tossing to coat. Melt remaining butter. Add 3 tablespoons butter, almonds, and apricots to the noodles and mix well. Beat egg whites to soft peaks, beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Stir egg yolks into noodles, stir in 1/4 of the whites, and fold in remaining whites. Spread half of noodle mixture in baking dish, top with apples, and top with remaining noodle mixture, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and drizzle with remaining tablespoon butter. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes or until set. Serve hot. Serves 8.

Got a culinary question you'd like to ask or an idea you'd like to see treated in this column? Send your suggestions to A Harte Appetite, c/o The Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699 or by e-mail to tharte@semovm.semo.edu.

~Tom Harte is a professor at Southeast Missouri State University and writes a food column every other week for the Southeast Missourian.