4th of July Casserole

I love casseroles, both the food and the dish. Some of the oldest and most delicious meals including stews and braises have come from the one-pot-dinner. Bechamel is one of my favorite sauces to add to unify a casserole. The sauce mornay used in this recipe is based on it. What could be more american than a casserole - throwback to the family values that america was all about in the 50's on the 4th of july. I'm not trying to tear down an institution like grilling on the 4th, I just thought it would be cool to make this dish. That and it sounded really good to me. I've seen variations of it in a lot of places but this is my version.


Shrimp and Tomato Casserole

1# shrimp P&D
1/2# large tubular pasta, cooked
2 cloves garlic
1-2T olive oil
1/4c. minced onion
1/2 large can whole tomatoes in puree
1/2c. gruyere, shredded, plus 2T
1/2c. white cheddar, shredded, plus 2T
1T butter
1T flour
1 1/2c. milk, half and half or cream
salt and pepper

If you happen to be using shrimp that are not peeled and deveined, reserve the shells. Simmer them in a pint of water for 30min. Strain and reduce down until very thick. Reserve this liquid for the casserole.

In a small saucepan heat the butter and sweat the onions until translucent. Add the flour and cook 5min. Slowly whisk in the cold milk and stir until thickened. Add the cheese a small amount at a time until the sauce is thick and cheesy. Season with salt and pepper. Strain or use as is.

Preheat the oven to 350. Heat the olive oil in a casserole. Add the onions and sweat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another 2-5min. Meanwhile, crush and seed the tomatoes reserving the puree. Add the shrimp and stir just until they start to curl up and turn pink. Add the tomatoes and cook another minute. Add the cheese sauce and pasta and stir until incorporated. Add the shrimp reduction (if using) at this point and tomato puree if mixture is too thick. Place into a greased pan and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake until the top is golden brown. Remove and allow to rest 20 min. SERVE

If you have to grill something and this is unacceptable for you, I've found a compromise.

Cheeseburger Casserole

mise en place for cheeseburgers:
buns
burger patties
onions, sliced thickly
pickles
tomatoes, sliced
2x cheese sauce from above
butter

grill the burgers and the onions and set aside. In a greased casserole place a layer of hamburger buns over the bottom. Place a layer of grilled beef patties over the buns. You do not have to be careful to line up the burgers. Layer the tomatoes, pickles and onions. Pour the cheese sauce over the top and bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese is golden brown. Serve.