Recipe: Comfort casserole

I used to have a cooking blog, but I eventually didn't have enough enthusiasm or motivation to keep it alive. My pictures sucked (and still do, admittedly), which of course is a bit discouraging as several other food blogs really have great pictures, and I just didn’t update it often enough.

Now I thought I might try to revive the food blog section. As this isn’t strictly a food blog, I won’t have to worry about not posting enough recipes, I’ll just post when I feel like it. And now I do! The recipes will for the most part be vegetarian, but occasionally some seafood might swim in too.

As autumn creeps in, I always start craving for stews, soups and casseroles – warm, comforting, hearty meals. I like to use seasonal ingredients, and when I saw delicious-looking string beans and Brussels sprouts in the grocery store the other day, I got the idea of a very cheesy casserole with sour cream. I had made wild mushroom bisque the other day and had still some mushrooms left, and I figured they would go along perfectly in this autumnal meal.

I don’t mean to brag, but by god, this was good! (Or is, I still have a good deal left.) I named it “comfort casserole” because that just sums it up. To add up the luxury and cosiness, a splash of white wine would not hurt at all. Smoked tofu would also go along very well, in the casserole itself or then served with it. But so, here’s the recipe:

Comfort casserole
Serves 6–8

ca. 300 gr string beans, ends trimmed
ca. 500 gr Brussels sprouts, halved
30 gr dried wild mushrooms
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 small parsley roots (parsnip will also do just fine, or why not carrot), thinly sliced or cut into juliennes
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200 gr sour cream
1,5 dl half cream (15%), I used a wild mushroom & white balsamic flavoured, but you could use just regular cream and add a dash of balsamic vinegar, or all sour cream
(1 dl dry white wine)
200 gr strong grated cheese, I used mature cheddar and Emmentaler
3 organic eggs, lightly beaten
rosemary, salt, white pepper

1. Soak the mushrooms in warm water for about an hour, squeeze out the excess water and chop them very finely. Don’t throw away the soaking water! Pass it through filter paper or a cheese cloth and use it for the casserole.
2. Blanche the string beans in salted water for a few minutes. This is important, because even string beans may be toxic uncooked.
3. Sauté the onions, celery and garlic, season with salt and rosemary. Move into a large bowl along with the beans and parsley root.
4. Move the Brussels sprouts on the pan and fry until golden brown. Add the mushrooms and about a dl of the mushrooms’ soaking water. Leave to simmer until the liquid has evaporated and/or the sprouts are al dente, then add to the veggie bowl.
5. In a bowl, mix the sour cream, cream, white wine, some of the mushrooms’ soaking water, eggs and most of the cheese. Season with salt and white pepper, and some more rosemary if you feel like it. You won’t want the mixture to be too running, otherwise your casserole will run all over the place. If you feel it’s too fluid, you could add another egg or some all-purpose flour (just be sure to whisk it together with some liquid so that you won’t bump into yucky lumps).
6. Combine the two bowls and pour into a casserole. Sprinkle over the leftover cheese and bake in.. umm, 180°C for about an hour. I’m not too sure about the time, just check on it and take it out when it’s got a golden brown crust. Let it settle and cool for a while, and dig in!

Haha, it sure isn’t a looker. But it compensates in taste what it lacks in looks.