Saturday 10/2/21

 Return of the tater tot casserole. I had prepped the filling on Friday, so all that was needed was to pre-cook the tots and throw the whole shebang into the oven. I don't care what anyone says, it's delicious. And no cans of creamed soup were involved! I always forget where I got the recipe so here it is:

7 tablespoons [100 grams] unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

1 celery stalk, diced

Kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 tablespoons [55 grams] all-purpose flour

2 cups [480 ml] whole milk

2 teaspoons chicken or beef bouillon base, or 1 bouillon cube

1 pound [455 grams] 80 or 85% ground beef

2 cups [240 to 280 grams] frozen corn, peas, or a combination of the two

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup [80 grams] sour cream

One 2 pound [910 grams] bag frozen tater tots

8 ounces [230 grams] sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter or oil a 9 by 13 inch [23 by 33 cm] baking dish.

2. In a large saucepan or pot, melt 6 tablespoons [85 g] of the butter over medium heat. Add half of the onion, the carrot, celery, and a pinch of salt and cook until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the flour and stir to incorporate it into the vegetables—they will clump into one dry mass. Cook for 2 minutes. Slowly begin to stir in the milk a little bit at a time, waiting until the vegetable-flour mixture absorbs the liquid before pouring in more. Stir in the chicken bouillon base. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to soften. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the beef, and cook until browned, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn (and/or peas, if using) and cook for 1 minute more to warm through. Remove from the heat and season with the Worcestershire sauce and salt. Add the beef-corn mixture to the pan with the creamed soup base. Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Cooled and covered, the hot dish can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in advance. 

4. Top with even rows of tater tots (feel free to play around with the design) and bake for 50 minutes, or until the tater tots are browned and crispy. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the cheese, and continue baking until the cheese melts, another 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

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