Summer Squash And Smoked Sausage Casserole
The star of this dish is the summer squash.
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 mesh sieve
- 1 bowl Mediuim size
- 1 saute pan 10-inch
- 1 casserole baking dish 9 x 9
- 1 rubber spatula
- 1 cheese grater
- 1 mini food processor Substitute Microplane
- 1 Set of measuring spoons
- 1 Set of dry measuring cups
Ingredients
- 1 stick 8 tbsps butter Unsalted
- 1 tbsps olive oil
- 3 pounds yellow squash (Summer squash 4 large or 5 medium-sized squash, sliced into circles
- 6.5 ounces smoked Kielbasa sausage Cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 leeks Washed, cut lengthwise, and cut into half moons, white and light green parts.
- 2 cloves garlic Minced
- 2 tsps Kosher salt More if needed
- 1 tsp Fresh ground black pepper More if needed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese Freshly ground
- 4 ounces Gruyère Shredded, about 1 cup
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 cups
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise Hellmann's
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 1/2 tsps fresh thyme leaves Minced
- 1 1/4 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley Plus 2 extra tablespoons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.Grease a 9 x 9 baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Set a mesh sieve over a large bowl.Start by prepping the vegetables and smoked sausage. In a mini food processor, process the Parmesan cheese until finely ground and transfer it to a bowl, then set it aside.Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sautè pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Sautè the leeks until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set it aside.Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add a third of the squash to the sautè pan, as you do not want to overcrowd the pan and the vegetables to start to brown. Once they've browned on the first side, flip them over, and cook until the center of the squash is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a mesh sieve resting over a bowl, and repeat with 2 more tablespoons of butter, browning off all of the remaining squash.Once the browning process is complete, allow the squash to drain for 10 minutes; discard any liquid.Stir together the eggs, milk, sour cream, Gruyère, 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack, mayonnaise, fresh thyme, Dijon mustard, fresh ground black pepper, and Kosher salt in a large bowl.Gently fold in the squash, leeks, and smoked sausage until evenly combined. Spoon the casserole filling into the prepared baking dish.Sprinkle evenly over the remaining shredded Monterey Jack cheese on the top.In a large bowl, mix the Panko bread crumbs, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, and the 3 tablespoons cut into small pieces of remaining softened butter. Next, season with Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Using a fork, mash the pieces of softened butter so they combine throughout the breading mixture.Distribute the breadcrumb topping evenly over the casserole. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.Garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.There you have it, my Summer Squash and Smoked Sausage Casserole.
Notes
1) You can use a Microplane to grate the Parmesan cheese if you do not have a mini food processor.
2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.