|
|
Casseroles Overview
Home » Kitchen » Casseroles » Casseroles OverviewCasseroles have been the mainstay of the American kitchen for many years. But they are not strictly an American “dish.” Casseroles have enjoyed a long, warm relationship with food-lovers in America, Germany, many European countries, and even China. But they are so popular in America that the dish they are prepared in is called a “casserole dish.”
The word, “casserole,” in French, means “large dish or saucepan.” Other variations of the word infer the word, “meat” in the recipe, although it is common to prepare vegetarian casseroles such as the quintessential favorite, Green Bean Casserole. There are thousands, and perhaps millions of casserole recipes in which the entire meal is prepared, cooked and served in the casserole dish. In the northern parts of the United States, casserole dishes usually have tight-fitting lids and are much like a Dutch oven. In the southern half of the country, casserole dishes are oven rectangular baking dishes with no lid. Regardless of where you live, though, the casserole is considered comfort food for any meal.
There are breakfast, brunch, dinner, meaty or vegetarian casseroles, and of course there’s always the choice to make it cheesy or not. Cream sauce and or cheese are two of the most common ingredients in American casseroles, but historically, the foundation of all casseroles was meat that was stewed in its juices, then vegetables, and other ingredients were added for flavor.
The casserole was a common way for Depression era families to provide for their families in an economical way. The casserole’s popularity remained high during the 40’s and 50’s, and then soared in the 1960’s with the introduction of canned, creamy soups, such as cream of chicken and cream of mushroom. But because of the endless variety available to cooks, casseroles are still a favorite today.
Related Casseroles Articles