Like the esteemed “taco-in-a-bag” and “thing-on-a-stick,” hotdish is a Minnesotan delicacy. Though I have yet to try the first two on that lardtastic list, I can now proudly cross out the third, thanks to my farming compatriots Nicki and Sarah. For those not in the know, hotdish is basically a casserole, though the important elements are always present: a starch, cream of chicken/mushroom soup and a topping. The difference here is also encapsulated in the name change: a French name is too pretentious for the convenience that hotdish signifies.
To be perfectly honest, I have never been very comfortable with casseroles in general. Cream of mushroom soup, canned green beans and Velveeta don’t quite do it for me. As a compromise, we made our hotdish with organic and fresh vegetables from our farm: zucchini, new potatoes, broccoli and carrots! That’s not so bad, right? I’m still cool, right? (Sigh.) Of course, we still added the customary cream of mushroom soup.
All in all, it tasted fine. We topped the whole thing with gouda, which gave it a nice kick. Most of the work was in prepping the vegetables, so it’s really easy. Check it:
Step 1: Plop cream of _____ soup into ingredients.
Step 2: Mix!
Step 3: Top and bake!
(Thanks to Nicki for loaning her hands, and to Sarah for the lesson.)
Haha! I know about hotdish, although I’ve sadly never had one. My college teammate from South Dakota used to talk about it all the time.
It’s not a taco in a bag, it’s a walking taco. And they’re GOOD. Oh I wish I had one right now. Next time you come here we could make them together!
Gastro: There’s a reason why its regional spread is limited to these parts…
Ali: “Walking taco”? That’s a much less unsettling name. We must! I am tempted to do a tarted-up version of it.