A recipe…and some tips

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• May 17, 2004 at 1:10 am #7252
  Anonymous

  Inactive

  Hi. You can call me Qit; it’s not my real name, but it’ll suffice. Since there’s no "About Me" item in the profile section, I should let everyone know that I’m a pint-sized displaced-Cajun ex-Marine spitfire. Who likes big guys. And who cooks.<br />
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  I’ve got plenty of recipes floating around in my head…but I’ve only written up the recipe for my primavera casserole in any kind of detail. I know…there’s not much demand for vegetable dishes around here. But when I came up with this one, I was sixteen and my mother was on an anti-meat kick. Plus, one could easily <em>add</em> meat to the sauce.<br />
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  <strong>Qit’s Spicy Primavera Casserole</strong><br />
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  2 large red or yellow bell peppers (or whatever other color they may turn when fully ripe).<br />
  2 medium zucchini or other summer squash<br />
  1 medium eggplant<br />
  1 large onion<br />
  2 serrano peppers or one-half of an habañero (to taste)<br />
  About 32 ounces of tomato sauce<br />
  About 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese<br />
  About 10 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese<br />
  About 8 ounces of cream cheese<br />
  About 8 ounces of ricotta cheese<br />
  About 8 ounces of parmesan or romano cheese (preferably freshly grated)<br />
  Spices: Fresh garlic, Italian seasoning (usually rosemary, parsley, and oregano), and cayenne or paprika to taste.<br />
  At least 10 corn tortillas<br />
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  Sauté eggplant, peppers, onion and squash until tender. Add to tomato sauce and simmer in a large saucepan with spices for approximately 15 minutes. Grate cheese. Layer tortillas on the bottom of casserole dish; add a layer of sauce mixture, followed by a layer of cheese (don’t forget the cream cheese and ricotta!) and start over with tortillas again for at least three layers. Top with cheese; bake in 350º oven for thirty minutes or until golden brown on top (or microwave on high for twenty minutes).<br />
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  When cooking beef stew, toss a bottle of stout into the mix. People will look at you weird, and some guys may gripe at you for decreasing the beer supply. But it’s worth it. Also, just for the hell of it, try using exotic vegetables like purple potatoes.<br />
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  Apricots and candied ginger may sound like dessert ingredients…but they make good sauce for lamb. <br />
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  On a similar note…although cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg may make you think of apple pie, they also work very well in a spice rub for duck. Especially if you’re making orange duck?in which case, it’s also nice to marinate it in brandy. (Also, try using blood oranges instead of the standard kind.)<br />
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  Add wasabi and pickled ginger to a salmon dip for an extra kick. (Fresh cucumber is also good, but make sure it’s tender enough.)<br />
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  And finally…habañero peppers are as superior in <em>flavor</em> to jalapeños as they are in Scoville count. Everyone who likes spicy food should try one at some point in their lives.<br />
  <br />
  -Qit

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