In the French national tradition, the word "casserole" has several meanings. First, it is a heat-resistant pot with a tight-fitting lid, made of metal, ceramics, fireproof glass. In such dishes, food can languish in the oven for a long time and not burn. There are special decorative casseroles in which food is served but not prepared. Secondly, casserole is a method of cooking, involving long baking of products in the above-described dishes. And thirdly, this is the dish itself, prepared in this way. There are a large number of options for casseroles, many regional recipes - from meat, fish, mushrooms, vegetables, cereals, legumes.
Chicken casserole with tomatoes
Place 8 chicken thighs or 4 small chicken breasts with skin, cut in half, in casserole, a deep metal, ceramic or glass fireproof dish with a lid. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the chicken, sprinkle with dried or fresh chopped rosemary, black pepper and salt (to taste). Bake the casserole in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, peel and cut into small pieces 1 onion and 1 red bell pepper, peel and chop 3 cloves of garlic, squeeze out the juice from half a lemon, and grate the zest from the remaining crust. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep frying pan, put onions and peppers and fry for 5 minutes, add ground garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add 400 grams of canned tomatoes in their own juice, lemon juice, zest, dilute with a glass of water or chicken broth, salt to taste, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the casserole from the oven, pour over the sauce, cover and continue baking for another 30 minutes. 10 minutes until ready, take out the casserole again and add 12-15 pieces of pitted black olives.
Fish casserole with onions
Peel 6 medium onions and cut into half rings. Put half the onion in the casserole, spread 500 grams of hake, cod or pollock fillets cut into slices on top, cover with the other half of the onion.
Prepare the sauce: mix 100 grams of sour cream, 100 grams of mayonnaise and 100 grams of cold water, add salt and ground black pepper to taste, half a teaspoon of dry ground ginger, pour the sauce over the fish, close the lid and bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 1 hour. Remove the lid from the dish 15 minutes before it is ready, so that a golden crust forms on the surface of the dish.
Casserole with cold cuts and white beans
Soak 200 grams of dry white beans in cold water overnight. The next day, rinse the beans and boil over medium heat for 30 minutes, leave to cool in the water in which they were boiled.
Melt a tablespoon of butter in casseroles on the stove, put 300 grams of pork chopped into small pieces, lightly fry. Add 300 grams of similarly chopped veal, as well as 300 grams of chicken hearts, stomachs and wingtips. Fry until golden brown. Put 4 pieces of sausages cut into thick slices last. Pour the beans along with the liquid into the casserole, add 2 ripe tomatoes, rubbed through a sieve or finely chopped. The liquid should cover all products - if it is not enough, then water should be added. Mix everything well, cover the dishes with a lid and simmer the dish in the oven at 180 degrees for 3 hours. Remove the casserole from the oven, add salt to taste, stir and serve.
