What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

It was a present! And I can't wait to use it

Question is what should I cook in it first? Found these on the BBC website... what do you reckon?

1) Slow-cooked lamb with onions & thyme

Five ingredients, one pot, no effort. This meltingly tender lamb dish is satisfyingly rich, and virtually cooks itself

Ingredients

• half a leg of lamb (about 1.25kg/2lb 12oz)
• 1kg onions (about 4 large ones)
• handful of thyme sprigs
• 300ml red wine
• large handful parsley

1. Firstly, prepare the lamb. Heat oven to 160C/fan140C/gas 3. Wipe the meat all over and season well. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large heavy flameproof casserole, add the meat and fry all over on a fairly high heat for about 8 mins, turning until it is evenly well browned. Remove to a plate.
2. Thinly slice the onions. Add to the pan and fry for about 10 mins, until softened and tinged with brown. Add a few of the thyme sprigs and cook for a further minute or so. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Sit the lamb on top of the onions, then add the wine. Cover tightly. Bake for 3 hrs. You can make to this stage up to 2 days in advance, then reheat for 45 mins.
4. To finish off, strip the leaves from 2 thyme sprigs and chop them with the parsley. Scatter over before serving

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1...ions-and-thyme

2) One-pot chicken chasseur

This French bistro classic is easy to make at home and fabulous with creamy mash or crusty bread

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 25g butter
• 4 chicken legs
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• 200g pack small button or chestnut mushrooms
• 225ml red wine
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 500ml chicken stock

1. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large lidded casserole. Season the chicken, then fry for about 5 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan. Add the onion, then fry for about 5 mins until soft. Add garlic, cook for about 1 min, add the mushrooms, cook for 2 mins, then add the wine. Stir in the tomato purée, let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 5 mins, then stir in the thyme and pour over the stock. Slip the chicken back into the pan, then cover and simmer on a low heat for about 1 hr until the chicken is very tender.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm. Rapidly boil down the sauce for 10 mins or so until it is syrupy and the flavour has concentrated. Put the chicken legs back into the sauce and serve.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9...icken-chasseur

3) Beef bourguignon

This sumptuous, step-by-step recipe for slow-cooked stew from Gordon Ramsay makes a great winter supper

Ingredients

• 3 tsp goose fat
• 600g beef shin, cut into large chunks
• 100g smoked streaky bacon , sliced
• 350g shallots or pearl onions, peeled
• 250g chestnut mushrooms (about 20)
• 2 garlic clove , sliced
• 1 bouquet garni (See know-how below)
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 750ml bottle red wine , Burgundy is good

FOR THE CELERIAC MASH

• 600g (about 1) celeriac
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• rosemary and thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cardamom pod

1. Heat a large casserole pan and add 1 tbsp goose fat. Season the beef and fry until golden brown, about 3-5 mins, then turn over and fry the other side until the meat is browned all over, adding more fat if necessary. Do this in 2-3 batches, transferring the meat to a colander set over a bowl when browned.
2. In the same pan, fry the bacon, shallots or pearl onions, mushrooms, garlic and bouquet garni until lightly browned. Mix in the tomato purée and cook for a few mins, stirring into the mixture. This enriches the bourguignon and makes a great base for the stew. Then return the beef and any drained juices to the pan and stir through.
3. Pour over the wine and about 100ml water so the meat bobs up from the liquid, but isn't completely covered. Bring to the boil and use a spoon to scrape the caramelised cooking juices from the bottom of the pan - this will give the stew more flavour.
4. Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Make a cartouche: tear off a square of foil slightly larger than the casserole, arrange it in the pan so it covers the top of the stew and trim away any excess foil. Then cook for 3 hrs. If the sauce looks watery, remove the beef and veg with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Cook the sauce over a high heat for a few mins until the sauce has thickened a little, then return the beef and vegetables to the pan.
5. To make the celeriac mash, peel the celeriac and cut into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Tip in the celeriac and fry for 5 mins until it turns golden. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, bay and cardamom pods, then pour over 200ml water, enough to nearly cover the celeriac. Turn the heat to low, partially cover the pan and leave to simmer for 25-30 mins.
6. After 25-30 mins, the celeriac should be soft and most of the water will have evaporated. Drain away any remaining water, then remove the herb sprigs, bay and cardamom pods. Lightly crush with a potato masher, then finish with a glug of olive oil and season to taste. Spoon the beef bourguignon into serving bowls and place a large spoonful of the celeriac mash on top. Garnish with one of the bay leaves, if you like.

TRY

• Make ahead - Try to make this dish a day in advance, then slowly reheat in the oven. You'll find that the flavours will really develop overnight and the dish will be richer and more mature.
  
• Beef shin - Beef shin is a great cut for slow-cooking. It's good value and the ripples of fat running through it ensure that it doesn't dry out. You could also use wild boar, which gives a really special flavour.
  
• Know how - Bouquet garni - To make a bouquet garni, use a piece of string to tie together a couple of rosemary, thyme and parsley sprigs and a handful of bay leaves. Remove from the pan at the end of cooking and discard.
  
• Tip - peeling onions - To peel shallots or pearl onions quickly, place in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Leave for a few minutes, then drain and the skins will slip off.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5...ef-bourguignon

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So whaddya reckon? I was actually thinking about trying them in that order (not all in one day tho LOL!).

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

I'm not a big lamb fan, so I'd go for the chicken myself; although the beef does sound mouth watering. You are eating very well these days, Azz!

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

Have you ever tried squirrel?

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

I only cook something 'nice' once a week if that DM most of the time I have my boring veg and fish lol. I do enjoy cooking tho... but only if they turn out nice

Never tried it What's it like?

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

Squirrel?-like a flirtatious woman-all tail and chatter and will steal your nuts.

I would go for the beef but remember shin needs a very long and slow cooking

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

Brunswick Stew is a well known Southern dish, traditionally made with squirrel. Most people use chicken nowadays, it's a tasty filling dish. I usually leave out the potatoes.

Brunswick Stew

2 rabits or 2 large squirrels or one of each (or, if you absolutely must, sub a chicken)
2 tbls butter
1 lg onion, chopped
1/2 lb country ham, diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 quarts water
1 boquet garni of 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig parsley, 1 celery top and 1 hot pepper all together in a cheesecloth bag
1 cup sweet corn
1 cup lima beans
1 cup sliced okra
4 ripe tomatoes, quartered
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced in 1/2 inch cubes
2 tsp Worchester sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
Dash or two of hot sauce

Wash rabbits or squirrels, cut into serving pieces, and dry on paper toweling.

In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter and cook the onions until soft. Add the rabbits or squirrels and fry them about 3 mintues per side, until browned. Add the diced ham and stir everything together. Add the salt, pepper, water, and bouquet garni. Cover the pot and simmer, sitting occasionally, for about 45 minutes to an hour, until the meat is tender.

Add the remaining ingredients. Assuming fresh veggies, add the corn, lima beans, and potatoes, in that order. Wait 20 minutes before adding the okra, tomatoes, Worchestershire, soy and hot sauces. Stir and continue cooking another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the bouquet garni and serve over rice.

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

Wonder what it tastes like

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

The squirrel, Azz?: Have no idea, hate them but can't kill them in the City ... STRICT gun laws. Although on one site I saw while looking for the recipe, it said the greys were less gamier tasting than the reds!

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

If you still live in D.C., have a 'banger shoot one for you. They're out shooting all night, anyway, ask them to bag you one.

Who knows, the ricochet might be beneficial.

Re: What should I cook in my new casserole dish?

Still and always, Chico! I'll stick to chicken thanks.