In the beginning, there was kale. From it arose the others, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collard greens, mustard, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnips and Bok choy.
Kale is an ancient vegetable that has been enjoyed by humans for centuries. It is thought to have originated in Asia Minor and was brought to Europe by traders and travelers. Kale was a popular crop in medieval times and was often grown in monastery gardens.
In the 18th century, kale became even more popular after it was introduced to North America. There are several different types of kale, each with its own unique flavor and texture. Curly kale is the most common type, and it has a slightly bitter taste. Tuscan kale is a bit sweeter and more tender than curly kale, while Russian kale is the most robust and flavorful of all the varieties.
Kale holds its texture well when cooked, and it can be steamed, stir-fried, roasted, or eaten raw. You can blend it into smoothies, roast it to make kale chips, wilt it into soup, mash it with potatoes or turn it into pesto. You may want to remove the middle rib by hand or with kitchen shears because it can be tough, fibrous and taste bitter.
North Americans know kale well, along with being eaten it is often used to adorn the self-service salad bars across the land, displacing other green adornments because of its resistance to wilting.
Brion & I enjoyed this cheesy kale and mushroom strata with some roasted sausage.
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Cheesy Kale & Mushroom Strata
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Ingredients
- 370 gm (about 7 cups) sourdough or country style bread cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 250 gm cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt & pepper
- 3 leeks, white & pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
- 1 bunch curly kale, ribs & stems removed: leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
- 8 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp Dijon whole grain mustard
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 160 gm Gruyere or Comte cheese, coarsely grated, divided
- 60 gm Parmesan, finely grated, divided
Ingredients
- 370 gm (about 7 cups) sourdough or country style bread cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 250 gm cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt & pepper
- 3 leeks, white & pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
- 1 bunch curly kale, ribs & stems removed: leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
- 8 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp Dijon whole grain mustard
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 160 gm Gruyere or Comte cheese, coarsely grated, divided
- 60 gm Parmesan, finely grated, divided
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Instructions
The day before, prepare the strata so it can refrigerate over night. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Tear the bread into 1 1/2-inch pieces and spread them out over a large baking sheet. Bake the bread chunks in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring once half-way through, to partially dry the bread.
Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms, then add them to a large skillet with the butter, minced garlic, some salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until they release all their moisture and begin to brown (about 5-7 minutes).
Remove the cooked mushrooms from the skillet and add the kale & leeks along with a couple tablespoons of water (this helps the kale wilt). Sauté the leeks & kale with some salt & pepper (2-3 minutes).
Coat the inside of a 12 cup (10 x 10-inch) casserole dish with butter or non-stick spray. Layer half of the dry bread chunks in the bottom of the dish, then top with half of the mushrooms, half of the kale, and half of the Gruyere. Wiggle the ingredients down between the bread chunks a bit, then repeat all the layers a second time.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon and 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the prepared strata, making sure to drizzle over every surface of the strata, rather than just pouring in one spot. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover the strata and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
The next day, allow the strata to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the casserole for 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F. and the top is deeply golden brown.
Let the strata rest for 10 minutes, then slice into six pieces and serve!
Cooking with wine is a bit of a misunderstood area. It’s not quite as simple as many people believe it to be with such a wide range of wines available to cook with and a variety of ways in which to use them.
Wine is used in a similar fashion to seasoning. You’re not pouring it in to change the taste of the entire dish, but more to enhance and complement the flavors already there. The alcohol present in wine actually triggers the release of flavor molecules in the sauce, making every ingredient the wine contacts taste even better.
White wines can be wonderful in a whole host of dishes, which is why you’ll often find them in chicken, fish and seafood recipes, as well as vegetarian. Seafood such as lobster and shellfish are considered full-bodied, so are better partnered with creamier, full-bodied whites like Chardonnay. White wine sauce has been described as ‘a classic sauce for fish’.
A common misconception when cooking with wine is that all alcohol content is burned off during the cooking process. This isn’t completely true. Typically, the majority of the alcohol will evaporate, but in order to eliminate all traces you would need to cook something for a good three hours or more.
It’s not just alcohol content that is evaporated either. All wines contain a small amount of sulphites, a natural result of the winemaking process. These evaporate along with the alcohol, while the flavors are concentrated. The undesirable stuff comes out, the good stuff is enhanced!
This shrimp orzo is nicely complimented with the creamy wine sauce.
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Shrimp Orzotto in Creamy Wine Sauce
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Instructions
In a large bowl pat the shrimps dry with paper towel, & mix them with salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning & crushed red pepper flakes.
Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in a large, non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add shrimp & fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, just until it cooks through.
Meanwhile bring 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth to a boil & cook orzo pasta until all the broth is absorbed & orzo is tender. Set aside.
Remove the shrimps from the skillet & set aside. In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp. of butter & melt until it just starts to brown. Add onion & garlic and cook until translucent & fragrant.
Once the garlic is cooked, add wine & cook for a couple of minutes. Next add heavy cream & once the liquid is simmering, add salt & 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Add orzo & crumbled gorgonzola cheese.
Add shrimp back into the skillet & reheat. Serve with chopped parsley.
Oblong and common in Mediterranean cooking, orzo has a look of rice and the texture of pasta. While orzo’s origins lie in Italy, it is now a staple in cooking across Europe, especially Greece, and the Middle East. Its use in North America can be traced to the mid-20th century or even earlier. It seems there are recipes that date back to the early 1950s like orzo pasta salad, orzo stuffed tomatoes and Betty Crocker’s Chicken Orzo Soup.
The pasta itself is made from durum semolina wheat… a particularly hard variety of wheat. It holds up perfectly during the cooking process and has a very pleasant clear flavor and chewy ‘mouthfeel’. The name is somewhat misleading though as orzo actually means barley in Italian, but there is no barley in it. Instead, the pasta derives its name from its shape, which closely resembles the grain.
Orzo has been around a long time… and stands on its own as a versatile and tasty pasta in a supporting role as a side dish, or as the star in a main dish. Because of its size, and ability to absorb flavors very well, orzo can be combined with other ingredients and become a perfect filler for things like stuffed peppers and squash.
Orzo pasta also comes colored, and flavored with vegetables. Spinach is common, but it can also be mixed with beets, carrots and other vegetables. Rainbow orzo pasta combines several different vegetables to create a highly colorful take on this wonderful, and versatile pasta.
Today, I’m pairing it with bay scallops and broccoli in a nice cheesy parmesan sauce. Yum!
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Creamy Orzo w/ Bay Scallops, Broccoli & Parmesan
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Votes: 3
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Rinse scallops & pat dry. Set aside.
Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion & sauté until soft, about 4 - 5 minutes. Remove the onions to a plate. Set aside.
Add 2 Tbsp of the butter to the skillet & melt over medium heat. Add the prepared scallops & sauté for 4 - 5 minutes. Place scallops on a heated platter & cover with foil.
Fill a large sauce pan of water with 4-6 quarts of water & bring to a boil. Add the orzo & stir.
After the orzo has been boiling for 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the same pot and continue to cook for 5 additional minutes. Once the orzo & broccoli are cooked and tender, drain well and pour into a large mixing bowl.
Quickly add the parmesan cheese & the final 2 Tbsp of butter to the orzo & broccoli mixture. Stir thoroughly, allowing both the cheese & butter to melt. Slowly add the cream, while stirring. Next, add the sautéed onions, scallops. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley if you wish. Serve immediately
Beef Stroganoff is a perfect dinner party dish – inexpensive and easy to prepare yet rich and luxurious. History reveals a simple but elegant dish of steak meat sautéed with onion and cooked in a sauce of sour cream, seasonings and usually, mushrooms.
This dish was invented sometime in the early 1800s and had its North American heyday in the 1950s and 1960s.
The best cuts of beef for stroganoff are tender, juicy cuts such as:
- boneless rib eye
- boneless sirloin.
- sirloin steak tips.
- beef tenderloin.
In researching beef stroganoff, I’ve seen recommendations for all sorts of things to serve it with, including kasha, egg noodles, French fried potatoes, rice, mashed potatoes with chives, wild rice, and the leftovers on buttered toast points.
Since Brion & I always enjoy risotto, it seems like a good choice to pair with our stroganoff. I’ve made risotto from rice, couscous, orzo and they were all good so today I’m using barley.
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Beef Stroganoff w/ Barley Risotto
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Instructions
Beef - Marinade
In a large zip-lock bag or glass dish, whisk together oil, soy sauce & Montreal Steak Spice. Add cubed steak & marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Mustard Sauce
In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in chicken stock and mustard. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut tomato into thick strips. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook tomato until softened, 3-5 minutes. Stir into mustard sauce; add salt, liquid smoke & sour cream.
In same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Drain beef using a strainer, discarding marinade. Add sliced onion & mushrooms to pan; cook and stir until onion is softened. Add beef & cook until meat is no longer pink, 6-8 minutes. Add mustard sauce; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened. Keep warm until serving.
Barley Risotto
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to maintain simmer. In another large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion & salt. Cook and stir until liquid evaporates. Add barley; toast in pan.
Stir hot water into barley 1 cup at a time, waiting until liquid has almost absorbed before adding more. Cook until barley is softened but still slightly chewy, 15-20 minutes; stir in parsley. Serve immediately with beef.
As the days get shorter, darker and colder in the winter, many turn to food as a source of internal warmth and comfort. Besides being essential for life, food brings people together and generally just makes us feel good. This is especially true during the chilly winter months we get here in Canada, where tasty comfort food is more than welcome.
In 1966 when the term ‘comfort food’ was first used, one would turn to foods that were prepared in a traditional way and reminds the person of their childhood, home, family and friends.
Commonly eaten in the Canadian prairie provinces, perogies, pierogi, perogy – (however you spell it) are a delicious filled dumpling with origins from Central and Eastern Europe. They can be stuffed with potato, cheese, bacon, and more, and they taste absolutely perfect with their typical sour cream topping. There’s also a giant perogy statue in Glendon, Alberta, showing you exactly how important the food is viewed in Canada.
The ultimate in comfort, peasant food or gourmet cuisine, as a main event or side, perogies can do no wrong.
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Potato, Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Perogies
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Instructions
Perogy Dough
In a bowl, beat egg, soft butter & sour cream together. Add flour & salt, combining until smooth. Scrape dough out of bowl onto a lightly floured work surface & knead dough for 5 - 8 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap & refrigerate until ready to use.
Filling
Chop onions. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet & sauté onions until caramelized. Remove from skillet & set aside.
In the same skillet, melt another 2 Tbsp butter & add the chopped mushrooms. Salt & pepper the mushrooms & sauté until they are tender & all the liquid excluded by the mushrooms has evaporated, 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
While you are cooking the onions & mushrooms, peel & quarter the potatoes & place in a small pot. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then lower heat & simmer until soft enough to mash, 15-20 minutes. Drain & place in a large mixing bowl.
Mash & whip potatoes with grated cheddar cheese until smooth & fluffy. Fold in the cooked mushrooms & caramelized onions until well blended. Salt & pepper to taste.
Assembly
Remove perogy dough from refrigerator & cut into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into about a 3-inch round. Place a heaping Tbsp of filling in the middle of pierogi. Dip your finger in a bowl of water & run it along the edge of the dough. Fold perogy in half, carefully pinching together edges to seal it completely.
Cook & Serve
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop perogies in & boil until all the perogies float to the surface & dough becomes somewhat translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Remove perogies with a slotted spoon, making sure to let as much of the excess water drip off as possible.
In a large skillet, heat a Tbsp of butter. Place drained pierogis in skillet. Do not over-crowd so that they can all lightly brown on both sides.
If you wish , you can make a few extra onions & mushrooms for a garnish. Serve with either sour cream or Ranch dressing.
Recipe Notes
- When making the pierogis, nothing wrong with rolling out all the dough at the same time & cutting your circles with a cookie cutter. I just personally like dividing the dough so I don't have to do any re-rolling with the scraps. Just personal preference.
Like many recipes with folk origins, pierogi dough can be made in a variety of ways with some people using eggs & sour cream & others don’t. Making your own pierogis is actually an easier job than you might expect (just a little time consuming).
Like all ‘dumplings’, pierogis can pretty much do no wrong. They’re great as a side, as the main event or you guessed it ….. in a casserole or even dessert.
What makes it even better is that the filling possibilities are endless ….. the pierogi knows no boundaries!
Brion & I always enjoy a seafood meal. On a quest to come up with something different it occurred to me I had never put shrimp in a pierogi filling before. If it works in seafood lasagna why not a pierogis?!
Last summer I had posted a meal using a sun-dried tomato sauce. The once, incredibly popular, sun-dried tomatoes have become an underrated, ingredient that few people stock in their pantries anymore.
Sun-dried tomatoes are very versatile & can be used in unlimited ways, Because they’re dried, the flavors of the tomatoes are intensified. This sauce, with its bold & rich garlic & herb flavors was the perfect accompaniment for these shrimp pierogis. Definitely a keeper!
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Shrimp Pierogis w/ Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
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Ingredients
Shrimp Filling
- 1 leek, washed & thinly sliced then chopped USE ALL of the leek, discarding only discolored stalk ends
- 200 gm Crimini mushrooms, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 236 ml clam juice, bottled DIVIDED
- 300 gm WILD shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed & slightly chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 30 gm Parmesan, grated
Ingredients
Shrimp Filling
- 1 leek, washed & thinly sliced then chopped USE ALL of the leek, discarding only discolored stalk ends
- 200 gm Crimini mushrooms, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 236 ml clam juice, bottled DIVIDED
- 300 gm WILD shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed & slightly chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 30 gm Parmesan, grated
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Instructions
Pierogi Dough ( Yield = 18)
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, beaten egg, butter & sour cream. Mix until dough comes together. On a work surface, knead dough for 3-4 minutes until elastic. Place in a plastic container with a lid & refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
Shrimp Filling
In a large skillet over medium heat melt 1 Tbsp each, oil & butter. Saute leeks, mushrooms & garlic until tender.
Stir in half of the bottle of clam juice & the 1/4 cup chicken broth; bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add shrimp & 1/8 tsp pepper. Return to a boil, then reduce heat & let simmer for 4-5 minutes. Drain the filling, reserving liquid. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter. Stir in flour & mix until smooth. Gradually add in the milk & reserved liquid (from filling), while stirring constantly. Sprinkle in the rest of the salt & pepper. Bring sauce to a boil & cook for about 2 minutes until thickened, continuing to stir.
Remove the sauce from heat & mix in the heavy cream & Parmesan cheese. Take about 1/3 cup of the sauce & mix it with the shrimp filling. Place remaining sauce in a bowl & set aside to be added to the SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE later.
Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Add oil to skillet & heat on a medium heat. Add onion & saute until it starts to soften. Add mushrooms, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, oregano & smoked paprika.
Cook for 2 minutes, while stirring, then add remaining clam juice, sea salt & RESERVED sauce. Gently combine. Set aside until pierogis are cooked & ready to serve.
Roll & Fill Pierogis
Remove pierogi dough from refrigerator & cut into 18 equal pieces (about 30 gm each). Roll each piece into about a 3 1/2-inch round. Place a heaping Tbsp of shrimp filling (about 30 gm) in the middle of pierogi. Dip your finger in a bowl of water & run it along the edge of the dough. Fold pierogi in half, carefully pinching together edges to seal it completely.
Cook & Serve
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop pierogis in & boil until all the pierogis float to the surface & dough becomes somewhat translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Remove pierogis with a slotted spoon, making sure to let as much of the excess water drip off as possible.
In a large skillet, heat a Tbsp of butter. Place drained pierogis in skillet. Do not over-crowd so that they can all lightly brown on both sides. Reheat sun-dried tomato sauce & place in a serving dish. When pierogis have fried a bit, (blot on paper towel if you wish), then add to sauce on serving dish.
Recipe Notes
- When making the pierogis, nothing wrong with rolling out all the dough at the same time & cutting your circles with a cookie cutter. I just personally like dividing the dough so I don't have to do any re-rolling with the scraps. Just personal preference.
- If you happened to have any filling leftover, just add it to you sun-dried tomato sauce.
Pizza is one of those foods that works for just about everyone. From meat eaters to vegetarians, kids, adults and everyone in between. Year-round, its the perfect entree for family or party events.
Brion & I always enjoy pizza, preferably homemade. Usually my go-to toppings would be veggies, chicken or seafood, but nothing says it can’t be ground meat.
One of the things that seemed to improve on the flavor of this pizza was the caramelized onions. It takes only a few extra minutes but is worth it. For the sauce, I tried a blend of prepared lite Alfredo & marinara and then used a combo of cheeses instead of just one. Its always interesting to me what develops when you ‘step out of the box’.
Of course, if you have time to make a full fledged pizza crust it will take it all to the next level. But, I never hesitate, when I’m too busy, to use a purchased, refrigerated pizza crust. Pizza is just good, so do what works for you!
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Hamburger & Caramelized Onion Pizza
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Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 200 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 454 grams lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Homemade OR purchased PIZZA CRUST
- 1/4 cup EACH prepared Alfredo sauce & marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 4 pieces sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 15-20 green olives, sliced
- 80 grams cheddar, shredded OR use 200 gm of your choice of cheese instead of the ones listed here
- 55 grams Gouda cheese, shredded
- 65 grams mozzarella chese, shredded
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 200 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 454 grams lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Homemade OR purchased PIZZA CRUST
- 1/4 cup EACH prepared Alfredo sauce & marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 4 pieces sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 15-20 green olives, sliced
- 80 grams cheddar, shredded OR use 200 gm of your choice of cheese instead of the ones listed here
- 55 grams Gouda cheese, shredded
- 65 grams mozzarella chese, shredded
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Instructions
Pizza Crust
For my PIZZA CRUST RECIPE, you can find it in either JULY or AUGUST 2019 blog entries on this site. It is a yeast dough so it will take a bit of time to prepare (but worth it).
Pizza Toppings
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In a skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter & add onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 20-25 minutes or until onion is browned & caramelized. Remove onion mixture from skillet; set aside.
Add 1 Tbsp butter to skillet & saute mushrooms until tender & moisture has evaporated. Remove from skillet; add to onion mixture. Place ground beef & garlic in skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5-6 minutes or until browned. Drain off fat. Stir in caramelized onions, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.
Assembly
Spread Alfredo/marinara sauce blend over either homemade or purchased PIZZA CRUST. Sprinkle with a small portion of your cheese blend. Top with ground beef mixture, red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced green olives & remaining grated cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes or until crust is nicely golden brown.
Recipe Notes
- To grill pizza, heat one side of gas grill on medium or charcoal grill until coals are ash white. Place coals to one side in charcoal grill. Place pizza onto grill opposite coals. Close lid; grill, rotating once 12-15 minutes or until heated through & cheese is melted.
That expression, ‘what’s old is new again’, definitely can be applied to so many things in today’s world. Very often, when you think you have come up with a new idea its really just a modernized version of an old one.
As I’ve probably mentioned before, Brion & I really enjoy casseroles. I happened to recall a casserole that was published in Good Housekeeping in 1958. My mother made a version of it at that time. Being mostly vegetables, it had such a nice flavor. It was called Seven Layer Casserole consisting of vegetables, rice, tomato soup and sausage or ground meat.
With that ‘taste of a memory’ in mind, my recipe development turned into a savory layered casserole. I used vegetables, rice, cheese and ground pork with a layer of puff pastry. When you prepare it, the sheet of puff pastry is on top so it gets crispy, but when it is baked, you flip it over and it becomes a bottom crust.
Of course, we are talking about frozen puff pastry here. It seems it has become a supermarket staple, delivering all the glories of puff pastry without all the hard hours of work. This is a convenience food that’s perfectly useful for cooks of all skill and commitment levels.
All this talk of frozen puff pastry probably seems odd coming from someone who has made a living in the food industry. But lets face, to make it from scratch is either a labor of love or a sign of madness depending on who you are. So here’s my remake of that vintage 7-layer casserole.
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Savory Layered Puff Pie
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Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced small
- 454 gm ground pork
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp rubbed sage
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
- pinch of ground ginger
- 284 ml mushrooms, sliced, drained
- 300 gm cheese, shredded ( I used a combo of mozzarella, Parmesan & cheddar)
- 100 gm young green beans, frozen
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water, beaten for egg wash
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced small
- 454 gm ground pork
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp rubbed sage
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
- pinch of ground ginger
- 284 ml mushrooms, sliced, drained
- 300 gm cheese, shredded ( I used a combo of mozzarella, Parmesan & cheddar)
- 100 gm young green beans, frozen
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water, beaten for egg wash
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Instructions
Cook rice. In a skillet, saute onion in 1 Tbsp butter for a few minutes. Add ground pork, water & seasonings; scramble-fry until cooked. Drain well & remove from skillet. Add another Tbsp of butter to skillet & saute drained mushrooms then blot on paper towel.
Grate cheese combo of choice. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line casserole baking dish with foil & butter.
Start layering with mushrooms, cheeses, rice, meat/onion combo & frozen green beans. Top with puff pastry. Cut a few slits in the pastry for vents. Brush with egg wash.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until pastry is golden. Remove from oven & allow to stand for about 15-20 minutes then invert on a serving plate. Remove foil paper & cut into serving pieces. If you wish, serve the casserole with a brown gravy.
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Perogy, pierogi, piroshky, pelmeni, paczki or whatever you choose to call them, they are basically all the same concept. Wrapping a filling with some kind of dough exists all around the world. Between these variations, however, are distinct foods from different countries making it nearly impossible to trace the base origin.
The one I remember from childhood, being of German heritage, was a dumpling filled with a slightly sweetened, dry cottage cheese. I think the dough might have been made from potatoes and flour. We just loved them, of course.
When it comes to Brion and I, we always favor the very basic potato and cheddar cheese filling. This recipe is pure, unadulterated comfort food! As plain as it seems, the flavor is amazing. The contrast of the lightly browned perogies against the creamy sauce and spicy, Asiago/red pepper sausage is exceptional. I find there is no need to add any cream to the sauce when you use 100% pure mozzarella cheese. It gives the casserole exactly what it needs.
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Sausage, Pepper & Perogy Casserole
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Instructions
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Boil perogies in a pot of boiling, salted water until they float to the top & are cooked. In a saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp of butter with 2 Tbsp olive oil. When perogies are cooked, lift out of water with a slotted ladle & place them in a single layer in the saucepan. Fry until lightly browned on both sides; remove from pan & set aside.
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To the same skillet, add sliced raw sausage, stirring constantly until cooked through. Add green peppers, cooking until tender crisp. Remove sausage & peppers from skillet; set aside.
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In same skillet, melt 3 Tbsp butter. Whisk in flour & continue to cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes until golden brown. Whisk in chicken stock & whole grain mustard. Continue to simmer mixture, whisking constantly, until sauce is thickened & bubbly. Return perogies, sausage & peppers to skillet; carefully combine to coat everything well in the mustard sauce.
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Place mixture in a 13 X 9-inch casserole dish; sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese & bake 10-15 minutes. When everything is heated through & cheese is melted remove from oven & serve.
