Huitlacoche Crepe Casserole
This is one of my favorite party dishes. It is quite labor-intensive but the different elements can be prepared and assembled one or two days in advance and all you have to do the day of the party is put it in the oven. I serve it as a stand-alone dish with a salad, or as the vegetable/starch or first course for a celebratory dinner.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lard, preferably
home-rendered or vegetable oil - 1 medium white onion sliced in thin half-moons about 1 cup
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 poblano, Anaheim, or California long green chiles roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 pound
huitlacoche - ¼ cup fresh
epazote or use 2 tablespoons dried epazote reconstituted in boiling water until softened - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 recipe
Cornmeal Crepes - 1 recipe
Sour Cream Mixture (Crema agria preparada) - ½-1 pound white cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- In large skillet, heat lard or oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not quite smoking. Add onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the diced chiles and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add huitlacoche and epazote. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. Set aside. Can be prepared one day in advance.
To Assemble
- Lightly butter a 9- or 10-inch, oven-proof dish; it can be either square or round.
- Arrange crepes to completely cover bottom of dish (5 or 6). Spread about ⅓ of the sour cream mixture on the crepes in a thin layer. Top with ½ of the huitlacoche mixture. Add ⅓ of the cheese. Add another layer of crepes, sour cream, huitlacoche, and cheese. Top with one final layer of crepes. Spread remaining sour cream on top and add remaining cheese. Can be assembled one day in advance.
- When ready to serve, preheat oven to 325°F. Bake, covered with aluminum foil for 35 minutes; remove foil, and cook until golden as shown.
Nutrition
Calories: 237kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 10gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 242mgPotassium: 235mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 606IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 312mgIron: 1mg
