There's nothing like a casserole, for using those Farmers Market or CSA Basket veggies that are on their way past their prime! I had leftover veggies this week after our Market Days, that went unsold, and were losing their appeal quickly! The natural sauciness of a casserole lends forgiveness to the faltering vegetables in a way that nothing else can! And, I've got a lot of those in my recipe collection! Today, we're cooking Chicken Asparagus & Mushroom Casserole with Cascarelle Pasta.
I pack these up ready to bake. All of the ingredients are already cooked, we're re-heating and crisping the crunchy, cheesy topping, to make it over the top good. My vegetables in distress were asparagus and mushrooms, so this fits the bill perfectly! Creamy, cheesy and comforting are the words I would say describe the dish! The beauty of this particular recipe is that you can use pasta, egg noodles or rice as the starch...heck, you could, even, layer it with parboiled, sliced potatoes for a change-up on au gratin! It's a keeper, I tell you!
1/4 teaspoon Cavender's Greek Seasoning
Kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste (about 3/4 teaspoon salt, half that of pepper)
1 tablespoon, each, of butter and your cooking oil of choice
1/2 yellow or white onion, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 cups asparagus, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup milk, half & half or heavy cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature, soft
1/2 cup freshly shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
6 oz. cascarelle pasta (or your favorite filling)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Poor, sad veggies! You're about to get a facelift! This recipe is a quick fix, so once you get everything cut, chopped and minced, the hard part is over! For the customers who buy these, life will be even easier with the ready to bake dinners.
I deboned my bone in skin on chicken breast and used the skin and bones to enrich some broth that I used for this and another recipe. You can do this, as well, or just use an already boned, skinned breast. Give it a sprinkle of the salt and pepper, and season with Cavender's. I keep this stuff on hand at all times! It's a Greek seasoning blend of salt, pepper, oregano, garlic and onion, which are the favorites around here! That particular seasoning blend also ties perfectly into Puerto Rican cuisine, so it's an absolute on spot seasoning!
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the chicken pieces. They don't need to cook through, they'll finish in the casserole. Just long enough to get some nice color, and leave behind some flavor.
Remove the chicken and set it aside. Saute the onions, mushrooms and asparagus until tender, with nice color on the mushrooms. My pan was looking a bit dry, so I added an extra pat of butter...that never hurts anything! You do the same!
When the veggies are steamy and softened, add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring to blend these wonderful flavors!
Add back the chicken and any accumulated juices from them, and the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes.
Chef's note: If you want to glam up this home-style casserole, deglaze with half cup of white wine, and reduce by half before adding in the chicken stock!
Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch into your cream, milk or half & half, whisking to make sure it's well dissolved...we don't want any lumps.
Make sure your heat is on low; add the cream cheese and whisk in till it melts smoothly. Add the cream/cornstarch slurry, the Swiss and cheddar. Pardon the steam making the shot look blurry...it smells divine, though!
At this point, give it a taste, and re-season if needed. I always tell people that if using your own well seasoned chicken stock, you won't have to re-season as much as you will with a flavorless low sodium stock in a box.
While your dish is simmering its way into complete comforting deliciousness, get your starch of choice ready to mix in. I've mentioned before, that I'm a pasta nut! I get a huge kick out of finding new and unusual (for here) pastas! Our local Aldi's is a great source for these. They've always got something new and unique. These are Priano brand cascarelle...I love the way they curl, they'll be the perfect vehicle for sauce!
Anyway, whatever you choose, cook it to 2 - 3 minutes before done, as it will be cooking further in the oven! This is especially important if you are going to be using a gluten free pasta, which are prone to becoming mush past a point of no forgiveness!
Ahoy, mateys! Flavor on the horizon! This recipe will make one 9 x 13 casserole or two 5 x 7 casseroles. My clientelle is primarily made up of couples, so I do mine in the smaller size. I added in the par-cooked pasta, added topping of panko bread crumbs mixed with grated Parmesan and some left-over cheddar on top, and they're ready to pack & store, or just go ahead and bake! These went to the fridge, ready for re-homing, complete with simple instructions! Voila!
With that, my Steemian friends, I will leave you. Time to go see how the chicken nuggets are doing, and check the gardens. I'll have to show you some of those pictures...so much to do! Everyone keep on keeping on, and Steem on, always!
