Casseroles & Pies

,

Baked Cheese and Vegetable Pasta

,
Baked Cheese and Vegetable Pasta

Declaring this a light dish, would certainly be a misnomer, but compared to most macaroni and cheese or alfredo dishes, it’s undoubtedly lighter. Using a combination of buttermilk and sharp cheeses, imparts a lot of tangy flavor with a little less fat.And of course, including the brassicas not only lightens the calories but also adds contrasting flavor and texture. Butter can certainly be subbed for the olive oil for a more purist mac and cheese experience, but I like the depth of flavor that I get from olive oil.

,

BROCCOLI QUICHE

,
BROCCOLI QUICHE

Give your holiday leftovers a makeover! Chunks of random cheese? Small rations of veggies? A couple of sprigs of tarragon ordinarily destined to die a slow death? Even that carton of cream can have a new purpose. Quiche it! Just pull out the scale and load it up with varying bits of cheddar, swiss, and gouda until you have about 4 oz for your pie. Substitute the broccoli for whatever veggies you have from your feast- any combination of cauliflower, brussel sprouts, peas, and such will do. With leftover veggies, you can toss them right in and skip the steaming. And feel free to use half-n-half instead of the milk or replace half of the milk with cream. Bake it up and avert leftover ennui!

Mushroom Bourguignon Pot Pie

Mushroom Bourguignon Pot Pie

The the mushrooms’ earthiness collaborates with the toasted flour and brown butter to deliver a deeply flavored bourguigon without the beef. This recipe requires a few steps, especially if you’re making your own crust… But consider making big batches of the filling and freezing it using the method for freezing soup. When ready, thaw the filling, assemble, and bake!

GREEN ENCHILADA SAUCE

GREEN ENCHILADA SAUCE

Unripened green tomatoes are a pragmatic substitute for tomatillos in green enchilada sauces and salsas. Because green tomatoes are more readily available here in the Northeast, I use green tomatoes almost exclusively. Come fall, instead of composting those seemingly hopeless unripe tomatoes, use them as a tomatillo substitute. Or can them, like red tomatoes, for later use.

,

WINTER IS COMING VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

,
WINTER IS COMING VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Smoked mozzarella, fennel seed, and mixed mushrooms impart a "meaty" flavor otherwise absent in vegetarian lasagnas. Because this dish is a guest favorite, it's often featured at my Game of Thrones watch parties.

I love shiitakes in this recipe, but mix and match mushrooms as you see fit. If you have the time, try making the pasta and/or the ricotta cheese. Because fresh pasta readily absorbs the sauce, dried pasta really is dull by comparison. The casserole can be made in advance and freezes beautifully.

, ,

FRESH RICOTTA

, ,
FRESH RICOTTA

Fresh ricotta is ridiculously simple to make, and the result is a delicately creamy flavor with which its store bought counterpart cannot compare. For almost every application, you're going to want to use vinegar as the acid. If you're pairing your ricotta with a cream based sauce or dessert, however, using lemon juice may be appropriate.

ENCHILADA CASSEROLE WITH SUMMER SQUASH

ENCHILADA CASSEROLE WITH SUMMER SQUASH

Eggplant parmesan meet the enchilada! This recipe is full-on fussy, especially if you're breading and frying your squash in addition to making the enchilada sauce from scratch. But this is a great dish for using up that summer squash and zucchini. If you have eggplant, use them instead. If you have some breaded squash or eggplant in the freezer, that eliminates a big step. The components can be made in advance and assembled the next day. A great dish for party buffets!

Follow the Unvirtuous Vegetarian and get the latest recipes and updates.