What Differentiates a Casserole From Other Dishes?

Hi there. You have A Way with Words.

Hi, this is Adam from Abilene. Thanks for having me.

Hi, Adam.

Yes, I have a question, a food language question for you.

And so I have this dish that was passed down to me, the recipe from my mother.

And we always called it like a Tex-Mex casserole.

But I’ve never been sure if casserole is the right word for it just based on its consistency.

Like the form of it, you know?

Describe the dish for us.

It’s ground beef and onions, and then you have enchilada sauce, corn, olives,

And then you layer that with tortilla strips you cut up and cheese.

And it doesn’t really hold like a square, like a lasagna or like a green bean casserole.

But it’s too thick to be like a stew.

It’s definitely something you serve in a bowl, but you eat it with a fork.

And so I’ve never really been sure what exact food terminology to describe it.

Well, it sounds good anyway.

Yeah.

You know, so casserole is complicated because there’s some specific features that make a food dish a casserole.

For example, it’ll have a protein and a starch and a binder or a sauce.

And then usually throughout, except for maybe a crust, it’s the same.

So a lasagna technically isn’t a casserole because it’s layered.

But a casserole would be so no matter where you spoon it from in the pan, you’re going to get the same thing.

So the form and consistency of a casserole isn’t really a factor in naming it.

It is not necessarily about keeping its shape.

No, not at all.

Okay.

But there are a lot of terms for this if you want something different than the word casserole.

Hash is a really good one.

Hashes often have chopped meat and potatoes and maybe other vegetables cooked in a skillet and often used for shapeless dishes.

Slum gullion is another one, although it’s a little more like a stew.

And so the other thing that a casserole has is it’s baked.

It isn’t stewed.

It’s not simmered on the stovetop.

Well, it sounds like I have a casserole on my hands.

Yeah, it does.

Nothing wrong with that.

There is, interestingly, in the Southwest, there’s a term called tamale pie, which sounds a lot like what you’re talking about.

Ground meat and cornmeal, though, instead of ground meat and tortillas.

I might have to look that up because that sounds pretty good, too.

You know, here in Texas, tamale season is the best season of all.

I mean, it’s the best part of the Christmas season, I’d say.

Yeah, there’s a bit of folklore in San Diego is that when you see the tamale person selling tamales wherever you are,

You get a tamale.

That’s when you have a good day.

You always buy a tamale from the tamale person.

No soliciting except for the tamale person.

The tamale person absolutely is admitted.

I mean, they probably have entree into Fort Knox, you know?

You have to let the tamale person in.

Well, Adam, thanks so much for sharing that.

Yeah.

And you know what?

I would love to see a picture of that food the next time you make it.

You betcha.

Yeah, I can send you all the recipe as well.

Oh, yes, please.

Please do.

All right.

Take care of yourself now.

All right.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Questions about words and food are often in our wheelhouse, so call us 877-929-9673

Or send your stories about language to words@waywordradio.org.