Ready to go Dutch? British chef Nigella Lawson, host of the Food Network’s “Nigella Kitchen” program, offers casserole recipes from her new cookbook, “Nigella Kitchen: Recipes From the Heart of the Home.”
Recipe: Cider chicken casserole (on this page) Recipe: Beer-braised beef casserole (on this page)Heat the oil in a large, wide Dutch oven that comes with a lid (and can be taken to the table) and add the cubed pancetta (or lardons or bacon), cooking them until they begin to give off their juices and start to color.
Add the chicken thighs (skin-side down if yours have skin), tossing the cubes of pancetta on top of the meat (to stop the pancetta burning and to make space) as you put the poultry in the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
Turn the thighs over and tip in the prepared leek, celery, and garlic. Season with the dried tarragon, salt, and pepper, then stir everything around a bit, letting it cook for another 5 minutes.
Pour in the cider, then sprinkle in the frozen peas. Bring the pan to a boil, then cover, turn down to a very gentle heat, and cook for 40 minutes. Do check after 30, though, to see if the chicken is cooked through, and if you are disobeying me and going boneless, then 20 minutes should do it.
Remove the lid, stir in the mustard, and then toss the shredded lettuce over the chicken, letting it wilt in the hot sauce for a couple of minutes.
Scatter the chopped tarragon over the dish and take the steamily fragrant pan to the table with quiet pride.
Make ahead note
The chicken, without lettuce, can be cooked 1 day ahead. Transfer to non-metallic bowl, then cool, cover, and refrigerate as quickly as possible. To reheat, return to Dutch oven, cover, and reheat gently, for around 20 minutes, until chicken is piping hot all way through. Add a little water or chicken broth if pan becomes too dry. Add the lettuce and continue as directed in recipe.
Freeze note
Cook and cool the chicken as above, then freeze in airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above.
Making leftovers right
Pasta sauce: If there are any leftovers, remove the bones from the chicken, shred the meat, and refrigerate as soon as possible. Reheat in a saucepan until piping hot and turn into a sauce for pasta, adding a little chicken broth, water, or some heavy cream as you reheat. Even if you have only a ladleful of cidery, bacony peas, it's worth keeping to reheat likewise. But do use up any leftovers within 2 days.
Serves 4 to 6
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Get out a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven and, on the stove over a medium to high heat, melt 1 tablespoon fat, or warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add the lardons or bacon pieces and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, till they've crisped up a bit.
Add the chopped onion, stirring well so that they're mixed into the bits of bacon, and turn down the heat to low and cook — stirring every now and again — for 10 minutes, by which time the onions will have softened.
Stir in the allspice and thyme and then tumble in the cubed beef shank and, for ease, with a pair of spatulas or suchlike, toss and turn the meat in the pan.
Shake in the flour and stir to mix as best you can.
Pour the broth into a large pitcher and stir in the mustard and sugar and then add the ale (if it will fit) before pouring this over the stew in the pan.
Stir to mix, then let come to a boil, add the bay leaves and salt and a good grinding of pepper, then clamp on the lid and stagger to the oven with the heavy pan.
Cook gently for 3 hours until the meat is fork tender, and — if you can bear it — let cool, uncovered, before covering and refrigerating, then leaving it to bring joy to another day. Still, it's fabulous enough the day it's cooked and patience is an overrated virtue.
Make ahead note
The stew can be made up to 2 days ahead. Transfer to non-metallic bowl to cool. Cover and refrigerate as soon as possible. To reheat, put stew back in Dutch oven and reheat very gently on stove, until piping hot; or reheat in oven at 300°F for 1 hour, until piping hot.
Freeze note
The cooked stew can be frozen, in airtight container, for up to 3 months (and you can freeze in smaller portions for weekday suppers). Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above.
Serves 8
© 2012 MSNBC Interactive
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