The beauty of the casserole is that it is so simple to make. It’s hard to beat the wonderful flavours and aromas you get from slow-cooked casseroles. Even budget cuts of meat are transformed into succulent, tender dishes when used in casseroles.

Casseroles are often cooked in a deep ovenproof dish with a tight fitting lid. The dish will either be ceramic, cast iron, glass, or any other ovenproof material. The indirect heat of the oven warms the ingredients slowly, preventing the food from sticking to the sides and burning the base of the dish.

While the whole process of cooking casseroles is fairly simple, here are a few tips and tricks to help you turn an ordinary casserole into a divine meal.

Cool’s tools:

• Sharp knives and chopping boards
• An ovenproof casserole dish with a tight fitting lid for browning ingredients on the stove and then cooking the casserole in the oven
• A flat-edged wooden spoon for stirring ingredients from the base of the pan
• Oven mitts or a tea towel for removing the casserole dish from the oven

Casserole secrets:

• Cut your meat and vegetables into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly. Add any ingredients that cook quickly, such as peas, towards the end of cooking.
• To save time and washing up, use a flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish. This way you can use the same dish for browning on the stovetop and then transfer it to the oven.
• Avoid adding flour after cooking or the raw flour taste will linger. If you need to thicken the liquid, dip meat or vegetables in flour before cooking.
• Use a casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid to ensure it doesn’t lose moisture during the long cooking process.
• Use a suitably sized casserole dish for optimum results. If your dish is too small, the liquid will overflow. If it’s too large, the liquid will reduce too quickly and dry out the ingredients. As a general rule, use a casserole dish that is about three quarters full when filled at the start of the cooking process.

• The best zucchinis will feel heavy for their size and have a firm, glossy skin. They should be well shaped and free of soft spots or signs of yellowing.
• The cream-coloured flesh is a fantastic source of vitamin C and provides some dietary fibre.

Serving ideas:

1. Zucchini is very versatile and can be served either fried, grilled, crumbed, steamed, buttered or sprinkled with herbs and spices.
2. Even those who don’t fancy zucchini will simply love zucchini slice. This tantalising savoury slice is a fantastic snack and can be made in muffin cases for a quick and easy lunchbox snack. Most recipes include bacon, however this can be left out for a vegetarian dish.
3. Spread zucchini slices over a sauced pizza base and add other gourmet pizza toppings for a delicious and vegetable-full meal. Other topping ideas include mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, prosciutto and eggplant.
4. Hollow out cooked zucchini with a spoon and combine flesh with cooked rice, spices, salt and pepper, chopped mushroom and herbs. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and bake in the oven until golden for a delicious stuffed treat.
5. Add zucchini to casseroles, slow-cooked stews and soups for extra nutrients that can’t be picked out by fussy children.

• Choose apples with a smooth, firm skin that is pink to light red in colour. They can be stored in the crisper for up to a month.
• Apart from tasting divine on their own, they can be used in cooking with honey, brandy, sugar, nuts and pastry.
• Brush the cut sides of the apple with lemon juice to prevent them browning if sliced well before eating.
• Pink Lady apples are a fantastic source of dietary fibre, anti-oxidants and vitamin C.

Serving ideas:

1. For a tasty sandwich treat, toss the sliced Pink Lady apple with celery, radish, shredded chicken and mayonnaise between bread.
2. De-core the apple and fill with a mixture of almonds and raisins. Bake until golden.
3. Make a delicious apple strudel using 2 peeled, cored and chopped Pink Lady apples, ¼ cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup raisins, 1 ½ tsp cinnamon, 300g ricotta, melted butter and 1/3 cup caster sugar. Combine these ingredients in a mixing bowl. Fill 8 sheets of filo pastry, rolling into logs. Brush the pastry with melted butter and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Serve warm and dusted with icing sugar.

• Kiwifruit are harvested when they are ripe and firm, so choose only solid and unblemished fruit.
• They should have a long shelf life, so can be refrigerated for two to three weeks and then stored at room temperature for a few days until they are ripe. This is important as they get juicier when stored at room temperature.
• Ripe kiwifruit will yield to gentle pressure, so press it slightly to detect its ripeness.
• Kiwifruit make an excellent, kid-friendly snack and are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin E and dietary fibre.
• Avoid using kiwifruit in gelatine-based desserts as they contain an enzyme to stop them setting.

Serving ideas:

1. Kiwifruit taste excellent with decadent desserts or even something as simple as cream, ice cream, ginger, strawberries and passionfruit.
2. Peeled, chopped kiwifruit is delicious when eaten with white chocolate fondue.
3. Make a fruity salsa by combining peeled, chopped kiwifruit with chopped red chilli and lime juice. Serve with chicken, fish or pork for a tasty summer-style dish.
4. Make a fruity dessert cocktail with peeled, chopped kiwifruit, white rum, coconut cream and crushed ice. Blend until smooth and serve in a cocktail glass.

• Choose soft, ripe Hass avocados that don’t have any signs of bruising or sunken spots. The skin should be firm and purple-black in colour. Ripe Hass avocados will give slightly when the neck is pushed.
• To ripen an avocado, store it in a brown paper bag with a banana in the crisper section of the fridge or out of direct sunlight.
• To cut the avocado, cut in half lengthwise by running the knife around the pit. Twist and remove the pit and discard. Use a large spoon to run along the inside of the avocado between the skin and the flesh and scoop out of the shell.
• Once ripe or cut, they can be refrigerated, covered, for up to five days.
• Hass avocados are an excellent source of a number of vitamins and minerals: folate, potassium, vitamins C, B2, B6 and B3 as well as vitamin E.

Serving ideas:

1. Team ripe Hass avocados with savoury flavours such as bacon, chicken, prawns, tomatoes, chillies and limes.
2. Spread ripe Hass avocado on bread and layer your favourite sandwich fillings on top for a quick, delicious and healthy meal. Filling ideas include poached chicken, tomato slices and mixed baby leaf salad on sourdough bread; sliced roast turkey, diced celery and lemon juice drizzle on a poppy seed bagel; and smoked salmon slices, rocket leaves, and sliced cherry tomatoes on floury tortillas.
3. Toss fresh Hass avocado slices through cooked pasta sauces such as bosciola or other cream-based sauces.
4. Mash Hass avocado with a fork and mix with grated lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir through pastas with or without tasty deli meats such as prosciutto or pancetta.
5. Make your own delicious guacamole by combining mashed avocado with seedless tomato quarters, shallots, finely chopped and deseeded red chilli, lime juice and chopped coriander.

• Use the brown paper bags at the supermarket/grocer to store mushrooms in the crisper section of the fridge – if you store them in a plastic bag, they’ll sweat.
• Choose relatively clean and bruise-free mushrooms, as you should not wash them to get rid of dirt. Mushrooms absorb water, so use a damp pastry brush to remove the dirt. If they are really dirty or bruised, it is best to peel the skin off before slicing or using in cooking.
• Mushrooms are a fantastic source of vitamin B3. In fact, they contain as much B3 as meat and are also a good source of vitamin B2, biotin and dietary fibre.

Serving Ideas:

1. Cup mushrooms taste divine with things like chicken, bacon, eggs, ricotta, parmesan, garlic, red wine, asparagus, beef, veal, potato and cream. Add them to casseroles, stews, soups, stir-fries, pasta sauces and salads.
2. Pan-fry mushrooms with garlic and a dash of olive oil. Gently stir in the red wine and reduce slightly before adding pouring cream. Stir until mixture thickens and serve with steaks and mashed potato.
3. Stuffed mushrooms make a delicious side dish. Use a small spoon to remove the stalks and chop finely. Combine the chopped stalks with a mixture of breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic, diced bacon, parmesan, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until tender and golden.

• Choose baby brussels sprouts that are dark green and firm, have tightly-packed leaves and no yellow tinge.
• Store baby brussels sprouts in the fridge unwashed in their clamshell container. They will last for four to five days and will increase in flavour.
• Baby brussels sprouts are a fantastic source of vitamin C and a delicious source of folate, dietary fibre and potassium.
• Cook baby brussels sprouts in salted, boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Check for doneness by slicing one in half and checking the centre. Place them directly into ice water to stop them from cooking. When cooled, remove from the water and cut them in half and then lengthwise.
• Overcooking baby brussels sprouts will result in flavour loss, colour loss and less nutrients.

Serving ideas:

1. Toss baby brussels sprouts mixture through cooked spiral or penne pasta and sprinkle shredded parmesan.
2. Sautee baby brussels sprouts with butter, pinenuts, shallots, mined garlic, freshly chopped basil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
3. Serve alongside with mashed sweet potato (such as kumara) as a side to beef or lamb steaks.
4. Use in roasting with a boned rolled loin of pork and arrange with apple halves. Serve the roast pork, apples and baby brussels sprouts on a serving platter for a delicious roast dish.

Brisket: better known as pot roast, brisket is quite a fatty cut that is usually sold rolled. It can be braised or simmered on the stove or diced and cooked long and slow for casseroles.

Silverside: the most popular method for cooking silverside is simmering. Usually sold corned, it can be roasted when fresh but may be a little dry.

Ribs: often called short ribs or beef ribs, ribs taste best marinated and roasted. For the best results, finish them off on a hot barbecue grill for a crispy golden texture.

Topside: a lean cut that is purchased as a whole roast or sliced as steaks. Steaks should be cooked quickly on high heat or simmered in liquid to retain moisture.

Scotch fillet: although expensive, scotch fillet is a flavoursome beef cut sold whole or as steaks. It is delicious roasted, stir-fried, pan-fried or grilled on the barbecue.

Mince: cheaper varieties of mince always have higher fat content and will shrink the most during cooking. Use cheap mince for meatloaf and splurge on lean mince for burgers and bolognaise.

Shin boneless: sometimes called gravy beef, shin boneless is rich in flavour and has little fat but a to of gristle. It is best used in casseroles and slow cooking to soften and tenderise.

Bocconcini: are small balls of fresh mozzarella cheese with a slightly sweet, mild flavour. They have a firm texture and are white in colour. Choose either regular (walnut) or baby (cherry) sized bocconcini in pre-packaged tubs from the dairy section of a deli.
Spread on gourmet pizzas, toss through salads or serve with antipasto.

Pancetta: is pork belly that’s coated in salt and spices, rolled into a sausage-shaped loaf and dried. Purchase pancetta from a gourmet deli or from the deli meats section of the supermarket.
Use as a sandwich meat, slice and toss through creamy pastas or serve with cheese platters as a savoury snack.

Capers: are the flower buds of a small, native Mediterranean bush. They have a strong, tangy flavour that develops after curing in vinegar, dry salt or vinegar. Purchase them from the bottled antipasto section of a supermarket or the long-life section of an Italian deli.
Toss through Mediterranean-flavoured salads, use to add tang to mild-flavoured pasta bases or sprinkle over gourmet pizzas.

Prosciutto: is unsmoked Italian pork that has been salted, air-cured and aged. Buy prosciutto from gourmet delicatessens in either pre-sliced packages or have it freshly sliced.
Stir into a bowl of cooked gnocchi coated in marscapone and baby spinach leaves, use as a delicious deli lunch meat with freshly mashed avocado and rocket or place strips over a lamb roast before cooking for a flavourful meal.

Borlotti Beans: are mild-flavoured, reddish-speckled beans that are available either canned or dried. They are an excellent source of fibre and very kid-friendly.
Use dried borlotti beans in soups, casseroles and other slow-cooked meals or use canned borlotti beans in pastas, bakes and curries.

Polenta: is a finely ground yellow or white dried cornmeal that is available in two main forms: instant for quick cooking and regular. It is available from the health food section of a supermarket.
Use as a side dish alongside slow-cooked osso bucco, bake with meat and mushrooms for a tender traditional Italian dish or use instead of potato to make gnocchi.

Radicchio: is an Italian lettuce from the chicory family. It is characterised by red leaves and a bitter taste that complements strong-flavoured foods.
Use with green bean salads for a strong flavour hit, as a garnish on savoury tarts or toss through pasta dishes.

Mascarpone: is a fresh cultured cream made in a similar way to yoghurt that can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes. It has a soft, smooth texture and is creamy yellow in colour. It is available in tubs from gourmet delis and supermarkets.
Serve on pikelets with fresh strawberries, combine with ricotta for a creamy pasta sauce or use in chocolate mousse for a delicious twist.

Balsamic Vinegar: originated in Modena in Northern Italy where it is still produced to this day. It is aged in wooden barrels to give it a unique, dark colour and pungent flavour.
Use as a glaze for chicken, roast vegetables or oysters, drizzle through mashed potato for extra bite or use to marinate strawberries before decorating a pavlova.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: is the oil obtained from the first pressing of the olives. It is usually greener than other olive oils and has very low acidity (it may not exceed .8 per cent). It is great for use with dressings, dips and marinades.

Virgin Olive Oil: is obtained from the first pressing of the olives, although is slightly higher in acidity (it may not exceed 2.0%). It is primarily used in cooking, for salads and in marinades.

Olive Oil: consists of a blend of refined oil and virgin oil. The virgin olive oil gives it the flavour that the heat-treated and refined oil lack. Olive oil is a good all around oil, better suited to cooking as it has a slightly higher burning point than the virgin varieties.

Light Olive Oil: is refined oil obtained from the later pressings. Each subsequent press of the olives results in a lighter and less flavourful oil. The term ‘light’ refers only to the colour and flavour and not the caloric content. It is again suitable for frying or sautéing.

Pomace Olive Oil: is oil obtained from the left over olive flesh and pits after being pressed. To release the remaining oil out of the pomace, it is often treated with solvents and heat. The resulting oils are then refined to add flavour and make them fit for human consumption. Pomace olive oil is suitable for frying as it has quite a high burning point but is a lower quality oil.

Early Harvest: refers to the fact that the fruit was picked slightly under ripe. The under ripeness of the olive results in a slightly bitter, peppery oil that is very green. The smaller olives yield less oil and as such early harvest oils often cost more.

Late Harvest: is oil obtained from fully mature olives and results in smooth oil that can be described as sweetish and fruity.

Cold Pressed: refers to the fact that the olives were pressed without the use of heat. Olives that are pressed when heated yield more oil but the heat may destroy some of the delicate flavours that are retained when the olives are cold pressed.