Daria's Crazy Mexican Casserole to Feed an Army
FOR POLENTA
1 cup cornmeal (white or yellow)
1 1/2 cups water FOR REST OF CASSEROLE
1 medium can vegan refried beans
1 cup salsa, preferably freshly homemade
1 can sliced, pickled jalapeño peppers
1 bag spinach leaves (or 1 large bunch)
1 bag vegan shredded cheese
2 cups enchilada sauce (preferably freshly homemade)
1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts, sliced thinly
1 small bag frozen corn
Anything else you feel like adding :)
Chopped cilantro for garnish
PRE-HEAT YOUR OVEN TO 375 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
1. Put the water in a medium pot over medium-high heat. As bubbles start to form, whisk the cornmeal into the water in a slow, steady stream. Make sure there are NO lumps. Keep whisking the mixture frequently as it continues to heat up. When it reaches a boil, turn back to low heat and continue to whisk frequently to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan. You want to end up with a mixture that is similar to VERY THICK mashed potatoes.
2. Take the polenta off heat and scrape it into the bottom of an oven-safe casserole dish. I used a 13 x 9 Pyrex baking dish.
3. In a bowl, mix the refried beans with enough salsa to give the beans a spreadable consistency. Don't let them become too watery, though. Spread the beans over the polenta.
4. Sprinkle a handful of the shredded cheese over the beans.
5. Wash and dry the spinach. Steam it until wilted, but still BRIGHT green. Put the steamed spinach through a session with a salad spinner to remove most of the water. Spread the spinach on the casserole.
6. Spread the frozen corn over the spinach.
7. Top the corn with the ENTIRE BAG of shredded "cheese". You want a thick, gorgeous layer of "cheese" on there.
8. On top of the "cheese", put as many jalapeños as you want. I love spicy food, so I used the entire can!
9. Cover the casserole with as much enchilada sauce as you want. Pour it on thick! Then add a bit more cheese, if there's any left over. Sprinkle the top with the chopped scallions.
10. Stick the casserole in the oven for about 15-20 minutes; you want everything to be hot and for the cheese to have melted/browned a bit on top.
11. Enjoy with some chopped cilantro to garnish!
Source of recipe: I wrote this recipe after playing around in the kitchen.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
This was really good! I added sliced black olives on top before baking, and sprinkled some crushed tortilla chips on top of each serving for some extra crunch. A fun versatile recipe that I will definitely make again.