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Broccoli, Rice, and Cheddar Casserole

Source of Recipe

From "Real Cajun" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"Talk about a church basement classic. I admit that I don't think I've ever seen any friends or family members make this casserole without canned cream of mushroom soup. I couldn't resist taking it to another level, so I created my own creamy mushroom soup, which adds amazing depth and character and will separate this casserole from everyone else's. As the dish cooks, the slices of onion melt into the other ingredients. I have made this dish with traditional yellow Cheddar and white Colby Cheddar from Crowley Cheese in Vermont. They both have their place, although I preferred the Colby-style Cheddar. I have seen this dish at both Christmas potluck dinners and funerals. The dish retains heat well and can be self-served, but more important, it really gets to the soul of the eater, delivering an almost euphoric feeling."

List of Ingredients

◦  2 heads broccoli
◦  4 cups My Cream of Mushroom Soup
◦  12 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (white Colby Cheddar works well, too)
◦  ½ medium onion, very thinly sliced
◦  2 cups cooked rice
◦  1 bunch of scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
◦  Pinch of salt and pepper
◦  ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
◦  1 tablespoon butter, melted
◦  ½ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)


Recipe

Cut the broccoli into small florets (peel and chop the stems and save for another use, like the kids' lunch). Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute, then immediately drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. This will help keep the broccoli green.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter an 8 x 10-inch baking dish.

Gently warm the mushroom soup in a saucepan over low heat. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, combine the broccoli, Cheddar cheese, sliced onion, rice, scallions, salt and pepper, soup, and half the Parmesan in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and bread crumbs. Transfer the broccoli-rice mix to the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top and then sprinkle the bread crumbs over the cheese.

Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Raise the heat to 425° F and cook 5 more minutes, to brown the top if it has not browned already. The sides of the casserole should be bubbling gently. Let the casserole stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.


Serves 8 to 10 as a side dish,
4 to 6 as a main course



My Cream of Mushroom Soup:

After reading countless cookbooks from local banks, churches, schools, and cherished family recipe collections, I was truly stunned to discover how many recipes call for a can of cream of mushroom soup. I have eaten plenty of these dishes, and they have all been wonderful. In fact, every Christmas my mother-in-law makes her scalloped potatoes with canned cream of mushroom soup, and plain old Cheddar cheese, and it is amazing.

My version of cream of mushroom really does not take too long to make, and it is so much better. The real secret behind the cream of mushroom soup phenomenon is the reduction of chicken broth and mushrooms. They add great depth to a dish and blend beautifully with the cream and cheese to create a super-decadent richness that can't be beat.


◦  ½ pound shiitake or cremini mushrooms, stemmed
◦  6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter
◦  1 medium onion, finely chopped
◦  2 teaspoons salt
◦  1 teaspoon ground black pepper
◦  1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried
◦  2½ cups chicken broth
◦  ½ cup all-purpose flour
◦  ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
◦  2½ cups heavy cream


Thinly slice the mushrooms and then finely chop the slices.
Heat a medium sauté pan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter; when it starts to foam, add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to take on a golden brown color and all the moisture has cooked off. (For the best flavor, it's essential to get a good sear and color on the mushrooms. If the mushrooms begin to stick to the pan a little, that's good as long as they don't turn black and burn. If the bottom of the pan starts to get too dark before you are ready for the next step, just add a little chicken broth or water and whatever is stuck will come right off the bottom of the pan.)

Add the onion, salt, pepper, and thyme and cook 5 minutes more, until the onion is soft. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and reduce liquid by at least two-thirds over medium heat — there should only be about ¾ cup of liquid left in the pan.

Transfer the liquid to a medium saucepan. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and gently stir in over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour and the nutmeg. Stir for 2 minutes and add the cream. Cook over low heat for 7 minutes, then let cool.


Makes 4 cups