Shrimp and Tamale Casserole

Cajun French: la casserole (la kas-rol) – casserole

 

Farmers markets not only offer fresh local items, they also offer local homemade items. Finding fresh homemade vegetarian tamales at the Red Stick Farmers Market made our mouth’s water. We purchased six warm tamales and knew lunch was ready. Very few times we can remember being disappointed with a farmers market purchase, yet the tamales are now on that list. The vegetables tasted like a bag of frozen mixed vegetables that was defrosted and added to the tamales – no taste except the mesa. What to do with the tamales? We are victims of the “starving children in China” generation – eat all your food. Deciding the tamales needed sauce and seasoning, a casserole was in the works blending Cajun with Mexican.

Mais C’est Bon!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 vegetable tamales
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• ½ c chopped onion
• 1 lg clove garlic, smashed and chopped
• 3 oz chopped green chilies
• 4 oz sliced mushrooms
• ½ c finely chopped black olives
• 1 c tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 c tomato sauce
• ½ # lg Louisiana shrimp, peeled
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Bread crumbs

Place tamales in a 9” casserole dish.

Using a potato masher, mash tamales and spread on bottom of casserole dish.

Season shrimp with salt and cayenne pepper.

Set aside.

Heat olive oil to medium in cast iron skillet.

Sauté onion and garlic until tender.

Add green chilies, mushrooms, and black olives and sauté.

Add tomatoes and chilies, blend.

Add tomato sauce and mix well.

Season to taste.

On medium, cook tomato mixture until thick.

Add seasoned shrimp to mixture and turn off heat.

Pour tomato sauce over tamales.

Spread evenly.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Spread bread crumbs over tomato mixture.

Bake covered for 20 minutes.

Remove cover and bake 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and serve.