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• by:
• Durand, Faith

Quick--what do you think of when you hear the word casserole? Simple, fresh, one-dish meals that are budget-friendly and popular on any dinner table? No? Do you think instead of canned onion rings and cream-of-something soup?

Think again.

It’s time for fresh thinking on the casserole. The more than 200 one-dish meals in these pages are fresh, tasty, budget-friendly, and nutritious. They use wholesome, seasonal ingredients and streamlined techniques to get meals on the table with a minimum of fuss, and they take advantage of the full range of flavors available in today’s supermarkets. Yes, they’re still called casseroles, but prepare to think fresh. Author Faith Durand has brought the casserole into the 21st century, and these one-dish wonders are most decidedly Not Your Mother’s Casseroles.

Did your mother head into the kitchen to whip up Spiced Lamb Biryani, Asian Cabbage Rolls with Spicy Pork, or Slow- Baked Cioppino? Did she serve up one-dish breakfasts like Plum Spice Clafouti, Lemon Brioche French Toast, or Gruyère and Spinach Egg Puff? Or top off a meal with casserole-style desserts such as Salted Caramel and Walnut Slice or Baked Custard with Port Wine Sauce? Durand does all this and more, with seven chapters of fabulous casserole magic and a bonus chapter of salads, breads, and soups that complement the casseroles beautifully.

Start your day with a breakfast bake (many of which are conveniently prepared the night before, so they’re perfect for entertaining), then move on through vegetable tians, gratins, and braises; rice- and potato-based dishes; grains and pastas; hearty meat, poultry, and seafood casseroles; and sweet treats from the oven. There are vegetarian main dishes, vegan dishes, gluten-free dishes, ethnic dishes, and clever makeovers of favorite classics (the iconic green bean bake, for instance, gets reinvented as a Green Bean and Wild Mushroom Casserole with Shallot Topping). Durand pushes the boundaries of casserole cookery, redefining the dish while staying true to its essential character. Convenience hasn’t been eliminated; it’s been updated (think frozen vegetables, not canned). Durand describes all the necessary equipment for casserole success and reviews the essentials of ingredients and techniques. You’ll also find complete information on storing and freezing casseroles, making these convenient dishes even handier, since a casserole in the freezer is like money in the bank on a busy day. This book redefines casseroles, and so will you: You’ll call them delightful, delectable, and definitely Not Your Mother’s.