Recipe - Baked Vegetable Gumbo Creole From Tony Burke

1 pound Fresh okra,diag. cut or sliced up
2 pack Frozen cut or sliced up okra(10oz)
Boiling salted water
1 Rib celery,diagonally cut or sliced up
2 Bell peppers,in strips
2 pack Frozen lima beans(10oz)
8 Ears fresh corn kernels
2 pack Frozen corn,thawed(10oz)
Butter or margarine
Bread crumbs
1 Small onion,chopped
4 Ripe tomatoes, cut or sliced up
2 Serrano chiles,thinly cut or sliced up
1 teaspoon Chopped fresh basil
One half teaspoon Dried basil,crumbled
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
One half cup Shredded Monterey Jack

1. Cook fresh okra briefly in boiling salted water;
drain.

2. Blanch celery in boiling salted water.

3. Add bell peppers and lima beans and cook until just
tender; during last 30 seconds, add corn (do not
overcook), then drain vegetables.

4. Butter a large baking dish and sprinkle with bread
crumbs; add a layer of cornbean mixture and okra.

5. Combine onion, tomatoes and basil; spoon layer of
oniontomato mixture over bottom layer in dish.

6. Sprinkle with chiles and season with salt and
pepper.

7. Dot with butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

8. Repeat layering until casserole is filled.

9. Top with a layer of okra that has been dipped in
crumbs and lightly sauteed in butter; sprinkle evenly
with shredded cheese if desired.

10. Bake uncovered in preheated 300' over for 1 hour.

NOTE: This can be baked in the morning and reheated
slowly before serving. It tastes even better the
second day.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini