Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [24]
The Sides
Once the casserole’s dished up into bowls, you can top it with one or several of the following, if you wish:
diced avocado
diced tomatoes
garlic or radish sprouts
pickled jalapeño pepper slices
purchased salsa
shredded Cheddar
shredded jicama
shredded lettuce
sliced radishes
sour cream
TURKEY TETRAZZINI makes a 1-quart casserole
This 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.
½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (about 9 mushrooms—do not use fresh; see page 9)
¾ cup boiling water
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
½ pound turkey breast fillet or turkey scaloppini, sliced into ½-inch strips
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup nonfat sour cream (see Note)
1 tablespoon dry sherry or dry vermouth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, preferably white pepper
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup grated Cheddar, or ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1 ounce)
4 ounces dried spaghetti, cooked according to the package instructions
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.
NOTE: Use only nonfat sour cream, which won’t break or curdle during the baking.
Going International
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.
CHICKEN POT PIE makes a 1-quart casserole or two 2-cup servings
Remember frozen chicken pot pies? Some of us probably ate them on the nights our parents went out, or maybe for Sunday supper: that flaky