Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

What a wonderful way to use fresh tomatoes from the garden! Unfortunately my tomatoes are not ripe yet, so I had to rely on plum tomatoes I purchased from the store. But as soon as mine turn from green to red they will be going into this casserole. The recipe comes from Ina Garten and is one of the Barefoot Blogger recipes of the month chosen by Josie of Pink Parsley Catering. I actually saw the episode of The Barefoot Contessa when she made this and knew it would be something that I would try, so thank you Josie for picking it.

There is another tomato casserole that I blogged about that comes from Mama Dip’s , an institution in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Although I love that casserole, it is almost dessert like in it’s sweetness. This casserole has just the right balance of acidic tomatoes, sugar and Parmesan cheese. The sourdough bread cubes I used in it absorbed all of the tomato juices and balanced the dish well.

Both Mama Dip and Ina Garten have a philosophy about food. Start with food that is real and food that is in season. Then prepare it simply so that the goodness that is inherent in it shines through. I am sending this post to the Two for Tuesdays blog hop. Hop on over and see all of the wonderful healthy recipes that the participants have provided this week. And check out what the other Barefoot Bloggers did with this wonderful scalloped tomato casserole.

SCALLOPED TOMATOES

Ingredients
Good olive oil
2 cups (1/2 inch diced) bread from a French boule (I used Sourdough)
16 plum tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt (I used 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.

Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot of warm.

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I know I am going to be sick of squash before the summer is over. You’ve heard the stories of neighbors of gardeners locking their cars and screened in porches so that said gardeners can’t unload huge squash on them. There are cookbooks devoted to nothing else but uses for summer squash. I even have a recipe somewhere for a chocolate zucchini cake (which is excellent by the way). So forgive me if I get excited about my first squash casserole of the season. This is a great recipe! I have adapted it from a recipe I saw in Food & Wine. I have called it a Southwestern squash casserole only because it has cornmeal in it and that was what David said it tatsted like when he tried it. Next time I make it, I might add some cumin, hot spices and vary the cheeses. But as it is, it is excellent. It starts with yellow squash, zucchini and a sweet red pepper and onion.

The squash and zucchini were crisply fresh from the garden and the red pepper added a lot of color. The flour and cornmeal thickened the milk and eggs and made a custard in which the vegetables were suspended. The Parmesan and Gruyere cheese added richness. I will be making this again. . . . . and again. . . . and again this summer.

I served the squash with Balsamic glazed pork chops. Recipe to follow.

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I want to love chicken casseroles, but there are few that do anything for me. I love chicken and dumplings, a Mexican king ranch casserole, and chicken pot pie, but that is about it. Most casseroles start with a can of cream of “something” soup and I am not being a snob by avoiding these recipes. For health reasons we are trying to avoid processed foods. That eliminates a whole slew of recipes. One of the chicken casseroles I used to like was chicken divan. The last time I made it with cream of chicken soup and mayonnaise I could hardly eat it in spite of the presence of the broccoli and chicken. Mayonnaise does not belong in a casserole! I’m sure some of you will disagree. I have adapted some recipes that call for cream of chicken soup by thickening chicken broth with butter and flour so it is doable, but I am still underwhelmed. I tried this recipe yesterday because it sounded promising. It is Chicken and Green Onion Cobbler.

It sounded promising. It included saffron, ham and lots of green onions with a cornmeal and cheese crust. The chicken stock was thickened with flour and butter and there were lots of vegetables in it. I halved the recipe for the two of us. I had high expectations. I was disappointed. Saffron is expensive and it did nothing for this casserole. It called for such a small amount that it disappeared, neither flavoring nor lending a yellow hue to the finished product. I will save my saffron for paella which I do love. The raw green onions were overpowering and the cobbler crust was bland. I expected that the ham would be a nice touch but it seemed out of place for some reason. I am including the recipe here if you would like to try it. I could be wrong. It could be tweaked. If you have a chicken casserole that you love, please email me with the recipe and I promise that I will try it. I want to love chicken casseroles.

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We have gone from winter to summer with nary a moment to enjoy spring. The weather has been extremely warm in the North Carolina mountains. People are cruising the lake in their boats, children are swimming, and the doors and windows are wide open. If it weren’t for the blooming trees and the pollen covering everything, I would think it was the month of August. We will spend the day today painting the Adirondack chairs and planting geraniums in the window boxes on the deck. Spring is supposed to return with cooler temperatures at the end of the week, but we are enjoying this opportunity to put things back in order for the summer.

If you have leftover ham from Easter this is a great casserole to assemble early in the day and have ready to put in the oven at dinner time. Belgian endive is not a vegetable that I cook often. I first became interested in it when I saw a recipe for a caramelized endive tatin on Lucy’s Kitchen Notebook blog. I have had Belgian endive raw in salads and it’s leaves used as scoops for various appetizers and have always found it to be bitter. But when it is braised it becomes mild with none of the unctious taste I usually associate with it. Lucy’s caramelized endive is a wonderful recipe. I decided to experiment further with it. Because of the torpedo shape of Belgian endive, it lends itself to being wrapped. Enclosed in ham slices, the braised bundles can be placed in a casserole, covered with a white sauce and sprinkled with cheese and breadcrumbs and baked to creamy perfection. If you do not have leftover ham, you can use good quality ham slices from the deli. This is a great casserole to have ready to bake after a busy day working outside in the yard or garden.

GRATIN OF ENDIVE AND HAM (Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe)

1 14 ounce can chicken broth
6 small heads of Belgian endive

6 thin ham slices
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup Swiss cheese
1 cup Panko crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Bring broth to simmer in heavy medium skillet over medium high heat. Add endive and simmer uncovered until tender, turning occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain thoroughly. place endive on paper towels and cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a baking dish. Roll each endive in ham slice to enclose. Arrange rolls in single layer in prepared dish. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute. Add milk, cream, mustard, and nutmeg; bring to boil, whisking constantly. Boil sauce 1 minute; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over rolls. Sprinkle cheese evenly over casserole. Heat olive oil in small skillet. Add panko crumbs and toss to combine and brown lightly. Sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake until sauce is bubbling all over and top is beginning to brown, about 30 minutes.

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It doesn’t seem possible but my blog is one year old tomorrow! Last January I started writing it after spending a year reading other people’s food blogs. I decided that I wanted to be a part of this supportive community of fellow foodies. I haven’t been disappointed. You have all been fun to get to know and I can’t imagine my life without this connection. Even my very first post received a comment from my long ago cooking teacher and inspiration, Irena Chalmers. What a boost that was to my morale. My dear son, Michael, also supported my first efforts and my daughter-in-law Kristen has become a contributor to this space, as she is also an excellent cook.

Another one of my inspirations has always been Julia Child who started the cooking revolution and sparked my interest from the very beginning. So in honor of my bloggiversary I made her Lentilles garnies; lentilles en cassoulet, found in From Julia Child’s Kitchen.

This dish is brilliant. Cassoulets usually take hours to cook and involve many cuts of meat and layering of flavors. This dish can be done in much less time. I used only sausages in the dish. Also, lentils cook much faster than dried white beans. The recipe is brilliant because she extracted so much flavor from it by mellowing it in wine and a mirepoix of vegetables and a reduction of the meat juices. It was hardy and filling on a cold blustery day. David, my in house supporter, fixed his sourdough baguettes on the hearth grill to go along with it.

LENTIL CASSOULET (From Julia Child’s Kitchen)