Monday, March 17, 2008

St. Paddy's Day Casserole

This is another one from Jamie Oliver; specifically his Food network show, "Jamie at Home".
We made this for dinner tonight and it is amazing! Be warned this is absolutely not low fat but it does have some good green veggies and the leftovers last for days. Oh and don't forget the anchovies; they add a great richness without a fishy taste.
This is a rich dish so keep the portions small!
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 C white wine
1 cabbage, stalks removed, washed and roughly chopped
3 big handfuls r kale, stalks removed, leaves washed
and roughly chopped
1 sourdough bread round
1 clove garlic, cut in 1/2
12 slices bacon
1 (4-ounce) tin anchovy fillets, in olive oil
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked
7 ounces fontina cheese, grated
5 ounces freshly grated Parmesan
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 TBSp butter
Small bunch fresh sage, leaves picked

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring the stock and wine to the boil in a large saucepan and add the cabbage and kale. Let cook in pan.
Toast all but 3 of the bread slices on a hot griddle pan or in a toaster, then rub them on 1 side with the garlic halves, and set aside.
Heat a large 4-inch-deep ovenproof casserole-type pan on the stove top, pour in a couple of glugs of olive oil and add bacon and anchovies. When the bacon is golden brown and sizzling, add the rosemary and cooked greens and toss to coat. Put the mixture and all the juices back into the large bowl. Drain fat out of casserole-type pan.
Place 4 of the toasted slices in the pan, in 1 layer. Spread over 1/3 of the cabbage leaves, sprinkle over a 1/4 of the grated fontina and Parmesan and add a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat this twice. Just pour in all the juices remaining in the bowl and end with a layer of untoasted bread on top. Push down on the layers with your hands.
Pour the stock gently over the top until it just comes up to the top layer. Push down again and sprinkle over the remaining fontina and Parmesan. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper . Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and golden on top, approx 30 minutes.
When the soup is ready, melt the butter in a frying pan and add the sage leaves; until they're just crisp and the butter is lightly golden. Plate small portions of the 'casserole' and spoon a bit of the flavored butter and sage leaves over the soup and add another grating of Parmesan.

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