Potluck Casseroles.
December has arrived and my last turkey-blue cheese-sourdough sandwich is but a delicious memory. We are fully in the midst of the community, friends and family Holiday Season, which means lots of gatherings with good cheer and of course FOOD. Most of these gatherings seem to thrive on the concept of “Potluck” with the idea that the many food offerings will feed the crowd without any one person having to do all the work. Also, within the potluck format we hope that there will be enough variety to suit everyone’s tastes and with luck, dietary restrictions.
This means that my 9x13 inch casserole that sits in a wicker tray gets a lot of use this season. However, there are both limitations and opportunities for its contents. First, the amount of time I have available for preparation. Second, the kind of gathering I’m attending. After all, it would not be considerate to serve beef roulades to an Indian family or a ham-based casserole for a Hanukkah gathering. Third, it is an opportunity to cook a dish to share that would be too much for two people for an everyday meal. And finally, of course there is the cook’s prerogative to fill the dish with something that she would like to eat.
Cooked Sauerkraut with Sausage.
An all time quick casserole is cooked sauerkraut topped with pieces of smoked sausage. Because of our excellent local source of fresh sauerkraut, this is one of my favorite minimal effort dishes. Drain 2 quarts of raw sauerkraut, rinse and place in a pot with 1 cored and chopped apple, 1 Tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. caraway seed and water enough to barely cover the sauerkraut. Bring to boil and cook for 1 hour on medium heat, stirring to mix once or twice. Add a bit more water if the sauerkraut becomes dry. Spread the cooked sauerkraut in a baking dish and top with chunks of smoked, spicy sausage. Place under the broiler until the sausage is nicely browned and serve.
Baked Rice Pilaf with or without Chicken.
This is a recipe for a very rich baked rice pilaf with chicken, but if you omit the chicken it will please your vegetarian friends. Chop 1 onion, 1 ½ stalks celery, 2 carrots and sauté the vegetables in 1 Tblsp. olive oil and 1 Tblsp. butter for 5 minutes. Add 2 ½ cups rice, stirring to coat the rice. Add 5 cups of (water and 1 tsp. salt) or vegetable broth and cook for 15 minutes. In the meantime sauté: 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans in 1 Tblsp. butter and set aside. In the same pan sauté 1 cup chopped mushrooms with 1 clove chopped garlic and ½ chopped red pepper, stirring in salt and pepper and 1 Tblsp. lemon juice in the end. In a large pan quickly brown 1 inch pieces of cut up 2 large chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper (omit if making a vegetarian pilaf). In a large bowl combine the cooked rice, nuts, mushrooms, chicken if used, 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese and 2 eggs beaten with ¾ cups vegetable broth. Bake covered 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and sprinkle with 1 cup grated Jack cheese and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
One look at most potluck tables will tell us that good cooks abound in our communities and the temptation to overfill our plate with “just a little bit of everything” is hard to resist. However, if you are concerned about your waistline, the old adage “discretion is the better part of valor” still holds - even at potlucks!
(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)
