Adding a little je ne c'est quoi to delicious winter casseroles

Je ne c'est quoi?    

...it's Stokes of course

Like many foodie related words, a casserole is derived from the Provençal cassa meaning 'pan'. It is a large, deep dish that can be used both in the oven and as a serving vessel.

Did you know:

The difference between casseroles and stews:
Stewing cooks on direct heat on top of the stove, whereas a casserole is generally baked in an oven.

It doesn't take much to make a big difference.

Even simple casseroles become simply superb with a spoonful of this or a good glug of that. Take this beef and ale casserole ... pretty good became amazing with two desert spoons of our Brown Sauce.


Some simple ideas
 

 Leftover Chicken Mac

This is a simple way to use up leftover chicken. Cook and cool the macaroni then mix into a casserole with torn cooked chicken, turkey or pork (it all works).

In a pestle and mortar roughly grind equal amounts of Fennel and Caraway seeds and fold into the pasta with two tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard. Add a tin of cream of chicken soup with extra milk if needed.

Cover with grated Cheddar and Gruyère cheese and bake in a moderate oven until the cheese bubbles and browns and the chicken is piping hot.


Sausage Casserole

A nice twist is to use half sausage and half sausage meatballs. Use good butcher's sausages, split the skin and form the meatballs from the sausage meat. Half cook the meat in rapeseed oil with chopped red and green peppers.

Transfer to a casserole dish with a tin of chopped tomatoes and half a tin of water and a rich beef stock bouillon. Add two tsps of Stokes Chilli Jam and two tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup for smoky chilli depth. Now bake in a moderate oven until the sausages are cooked through.


Classic Chicken Casserole

Using bone-in chicken thighs for maximum flavour, brown the meat off in a pan with rapeseed oil and set aside. In the juices fry chopped celery, fennel, leek and carrot, just cover with water and boil for 5 minutes to soften.

Pour the vegetables and all their juice into a casserole with a chicken stock bouillon, lots of fresh thyme, a tin of chopped tomatoes, two good glugs of Stokes Award-Winning Tomato Ketchup and a good tbsp of Stokes Classic English Mustard.

The flavours are amazing. Place the chicken on top (skin up) and cook in a moderate oven until the chicken juices run clear and the skin is crisp.



For culinary colonialism and the story of our Brown Sauce, click here.

Our award-winning member of the Nightshade family. Learn more here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150