Minnesota Summer Casserole

There’s a food blog I like called “Rantings of an Amateur Chef” and I follow it to be alerted of new posts. It’s nothing special, and that’s in part why I like it so much. It’s just a dad cooking and his formula is basically: display the ingredients; display the process; display the finished product; give the recipe. He’s had a series recently called “we have too much food in the house” and involves him cooking up meals from the ingredients in the pantry.

I am starting to feel like, although there’s a real difference to what we eat each night, there’s also a sameness: chop up a ton of veggies from the garden, sautee and season them and serve them in a bowl. Looking over a recipe we’re running in our e-newsletter this month for the Episcopal House of Prayer, I realized I had all the ingredients in garden or pantry, and came home and made this dish Friday night. I added some peppers, mushrooms and garlic to it, and dabbed on some leftover pesto, and it made a big difference flavorwise. It called for goat cheese on top but I only had a bit of feta and some shredded mozzerella. The goat cheese might make up for a lack of pesto. A little white wine wouldn’t hurt either– it seemed to need a little liquid when I put it in to bake, if only to help the potatoes and cauliflower soften more.

Minnesota Summer Casserole

1 cup cooked wild rice
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped thyme
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp chopped dill
1 tsp chopped oregano
1 large red (or white) onion, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced (I had zapallito)
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 potatoes or a cauliflower, sliced (or both)
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced (optional)
4 large tomatoes, sliced (I had cherries, so 2 cups chopped)
8 oz Minnesota goat cheese
salt and pepper
pesto, garlic, a couple ancho and sweet peppers, if desired…

Combine the wild rice with the Parmesan cheese and herbs, mixing well.

Layer half the onions, squash, potatoes and tomatoes and any other veggies you’re using in a greased deep baking dish. Dot this layer with pesto if using. Sprinkle with half the rice and herb mixture. Repeat. Lightly salt and pepper each layer of vegetables. Dot the top of the casserole with the goat cheese. (I also drizzled more oil over the top and put in a few pats of butter, because I was worried about it being dry.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until tender throughout. Serve hot or warm.

Tonight, for a little change, we’re having the other head of cauliflower using the Indian curry recipe from last year.