The Origins of The Oven Casserole

As you might expect, the traditional casserole dish has a long and rich history. Since the Stone Age it has been known that slowly cooking food brings out extra flavor and earthenware pots count among some of the earliest cooking implements to have been used by humans. But what about the specific notion of an oven casserole? Here's a brief history of the popular dish, along with a recipe that will help you make use of any leftovers.

The first modern cooking ranges began to appear in England the late 1700s. These were essentially a case of mortar or cast iron that enclosed a fireplace with a restricted chimney. These made it possible to cook on either the stove top or in oven compartments. However, the heat wasn't really adjustable, and the whole appliance had to be heated in order for it to work, so the idea of putting a pot in the oven would have seemed a little odd - the stove would have been hot anyway. However, poorer families were making use of a kind of oven casserole at this time. It was known as a box oven stew, and involved heating a pot over a fire to start the cooking process, then quickly moving it to a box and covering it with lots of straw. This kept the pot hot for hours, and created a slow cook without requiring any extra fuel. 

The name casserole appeared as a term for a French dish that involved mashed rice and bits of meat in the 1800s, but in the later part of that century it began to apply to oven casseroles in America. These grew in popularity during the depression, when Campbell’s released special condensed soups marketed for the purpose of casserole cooking. As with most American classics, putting a new name on an old idea was enough to cement it as part of the national culinary identity. 

Leftover turkey casserole recipe:

500g turkey, shredded
300g vegetables
1 onion, diced
1 eating apple, cored and chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
300ml vegetable or chicken stock
A dash of vinegar
A sprig of thyme
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp runny honey


1. Fry the onions and apple in a casserole pot with a dash of vinegar until softened. Stir in the flour.
2. Add the stock gradually and stir, followed by the rest of the ingredients.
3. Move the casserole to the oven, heated to 190°C / gas mark 5.
4. Remove after 30 - 45 minutes, remove sprig of thyme, and serve with crusty bread.

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Hold Your Knife Like A Chef

You may have just bought yourself a set of shiny, professional chef’s knives, but what good is such a knife if you do not know how to use it properly? The chefs you see on TV or at your favourite restaurant can cut at a rapid pace and you will, no doubt, have dreams of being that quick with your chopping. 

With practice, you can definitely match the experts at quick, even cutting, but every skill starts with the basics; in this case, holding the knife properly. You may think there is nothing to it - just hold the handle and cut with the blade – but, as any chef will tell you, the hammer-like grip most amateurs use is not good enough. It offers little control over the blade and makes professional cutting techniques uncomfortable and awkward.

So, let’s look at the proper way to hold a chef’s knife. First, it is important to grip in the right place. Rather than clamping around the handle you should, instead, pinch the blade at the base, by the handle, with your thumb and index finger. By gripping at this point, your control on the blade is much greater and it allows for much easier movement of the wrist as you cut. This will be important when tackling the rolling technique used in good, efficient cutting.

The rest of your hand should then loosely curl around the handle with your middle finger resting right against the back end of the blade, called the bolster. Some may find it easier to use the middle finger along with the index to pinch the blade, which works just as well. If you choose to do this, your ring finger should rest against the bolster instead. This will keep the knife steady whilst keeping your grip flexible, allowing you to manipulate your chef’s knife easily. 

Contrary to what many say, you should not place your index finger along the top of your chef’s knives as this offers no control and will, more likely, cause the blade to be unsteady and unsafe. A secure grip at the base of the bladewill provide a solid, controlled cut every time.

This grip may seem odd at first, but with regular practice it will quickly feel natural and the results will be much smoother and more comfortable when cutting with your chef’s knives. With this grip mastered, you will soon be on the way to professional chopping when you cook.

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