Recipes

[Wobin]

I want to adapt a recipe for a Potato, Chicken & Bacon Casserole  and would like to reduce the milk and cream and add egg to make it fluffier and higher protein.  Can anyone advise?  I've included the ingredient list which seems like too much milk and cream.  

4 oz bacon, diced

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breats, diced

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 leek, trimmed halved and sliced (about 1.5 cups)

2 3/4 cups milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 sprig rosemary

1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes

6 oz shredded Fontina cheese 

2 T cornstarch

2 T cold water

[Mary Bailey]

When I used to sell decorated Cakes in the 80s  I added an extra egg to cake mix with great results   

I may be wrong but I don't think an extra egg could hurt it

[Wobin]

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@Mary Bailey wrote:

When I used to sell decorated Cakes in the 80s  I added an extra egg to cake mix with great results   

I may be wrong but I don't think an extra egg could hurt it

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Thank you, that's what I was thinking.  Do you think I should reduce the other liquids if I add an egg?

[kismet]

There are 2 T of cornstarch in this recipe and that's a thickener.  Would you add the egg to the milk?

[Mary Bailey]

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@Wobin wrote:

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@Mary Bailey wrote:

When I used to sell decorated Cakes in the 80s  I added an extra egg to cake mix with great results   

I may be wrong but I don't think an extra egg could hurt it

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Thank you, that's what I was thinking.  Do you think I should reduce the other liquids if I add an egg?

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@Wobin   No I would not reduce liquid

[Wobin]

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@kismet wrote:

There are 2 T of cornstarch in this recipe and that's a thickener.  Would you add the egg to the milk?

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That's what I was thinking.  Should I reduce the cornstartch?

[Kachina624]

Be aware that the egg may curdle giving a funky appearance to the dish.

[River Song]

The recipe is fine the way it is.  This recipe is basically a white sauce with bacon, chicken and potatoes.

If you decrease the milk and cream, you must decrease the cornstarch, otherwise the sauce will be too thick and your casserole too gluey. 

Adding eggs will not make the casserole fluffier or lighter.  Egg whites will make the casserole taste eggy.  Adding eggs to a white sauce turns the sauce into a custard and you must temper the eggs by adding a little bit of the hot white sauce to the eggs first and then adding the egg mixture to the white sauce off the heat, then gently heating and stirring the mixture until it thickens.  When you add the rest of the ingredients and bake it in a casserole, the sauce may overcook and curdle.

[Wobin]

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@River Song wrote:

The recipe is fine the way it is.  This recipe is basically a white sauce with bacon, chicken and potatoes.

If you decrease the milk and cream, you must decrease the cornstarch, otherwise the sauce will be too thick and your casserole too gluey. 

Adding eggs will not make the casserole fluffier or lighter.  Egg whites will make the casserole taste eggy.  Adding eggs to a white sauce turns the sauce into a custard and you must temper the eggs by adding a little bit of the hot white sauce to the eggs first and then adding the egg mixture to the white sauce off the heat, then gently heating and stirring the mixture until it thickens.  When you add the rest of the ingredients and bake it in a casserole, the sauce may overcook and curdle.

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Thank you River Song, I was hoping someone with broader cooking experience would be able to provide this sort of advice.  I really appreciate it.  I'll try the casserole as is and see how we like it.  I can search for an egg and chicken casserole recipe next time if this one is not our cup of tea. 

Great screen name by the way.  

[River Song]

@Wobin , 

Glad my thoughts were helpful.

I'm obviously a Dr. Who fan and the River Song storyline is my favorite so far.  Spoilers!