Doris and Eliot were very close friends of our parents during their time in Tanzania. While working at the University of Dar es Salaam, an American colleague shared this recipe with them. It quickly became a deeply cherished, much-loved staple in the de Lima household.
Doris' American Casserole
Ingredients
1 whole chicken – 1.75kg
500g Penne Pasta Quills
5 peppercorns
1” stick cinnamon
4-5 cloves
Water to cover the chicken
1 pkt mushroom soup mix or tinned mushroom soup
2 Leeks – sliced
1 bunch spring onions- sliced
200g Button Mushrooms, sliced
1 Green pepper, sliced
2 stems celery – sliced (optional)
vegetable oil for frying
1 large tin corn of the cob
1 tin peas
1 tin baked beans
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper
Cooking Steps
Prepare the Chicken
In a large pot, combine the chicken, pepper corns, cinnamon, cloves and enough water to cover the chicken.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pot and shred it into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
Make the Sauce: Allow the chicken stock to cool slightly, then stir in the packet of mushroom soup mix until well combined. This will serve as your sauce. Alternatively, you can use canned chicken or mushroom soup as a sauce.
Sauté the vegetables: Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil over a medium heat and sauté the vegetables separately until browned: spring onions, green pepper, leeks, celery and button mushrooms. Set aside.
Cook the Pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and return to the pot.
Make the casserole: Add the mushroom soup mixture to the pasta and stir well.
Fold in the shredded chicken, sauteed vegetables, baked beans and corn until everything is evenly mixed. If there is insufficient sauce add a tin of mushroom soup.
Bake the Casserole: Transfer the pasta mixture into a casserole dish and spread evenly. Top with the grated cheese and bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve: remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.