Ultimate Shrimp and Squash Casserole Courtesy of Louisiana Cookin’ columnist Frank Davis

Summer produce and Gulf shrimp are brought together and seasoned to mouthwatering effect in a concoction created to highlight the bounty of the garden.

Ingredients (Serves 6 to 8):

▪   2 pounds medium (31–35 count) Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined, in all

▪   1 teaspoon Frank Davis Seafood Seasoning (or salt and pepper)

▪   4 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all

▪   1 cup finely diced yellow onions

▪   1 cup grated carrots

▪   3/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper

▪   2 cups sliced yellow squash

▪   2 cups sliced baby zucchini

▪   1 large seeded and finely diced tomato

▪   1 teaspoon Frank Davis Vegetable Seasoning or your favorite Creole seasoning

▪   2/3 cup seasoned and buttered French breadcrumbs

▪   1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

▪   Frank Davis Garlic Hot Sauce to taste

▪   1/2 cup real sour cream (not fat-free)

▪   4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

▪   3 cups seasoned croutons, crushed

▪   6 pats sweet cream butter

Instructions:

Chop 1 pound of shrimp. Leave the other pound whole. Uniformly sprinkle shrimp with seafood seasoning.

Add 2 tablespoons butter to a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink, about 8 minutes, taking care not to overcook. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl to rest.

Return skillet to stovetop. Add remaining butter and melt. Add onions, carrots, and bell pepper. Mix and sauté until onions are translucent and vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Immediately add squash, zucchini, tomato, and vegetable seasoning and mix to incorporate. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until both squashes are fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Fold in breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Add reserved shrimp, garlic hot sauce, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Scatter half of crushed croutons over bottom of a shallow buttered, 3-quart casserole dish or Pyrex baking dish or in buttered individual serving dishes, as pictured. Spread vegetable-shrimp mixture evenly over croutons. Sprinkle remaining croutons atop seafood mixture. Dot with pats of butter. Bake until browned and bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Chef’s Notes:

1. Any kind of vegetable squash may be used in this dish (eggplant, white squash, mirliton). The seasoning and the remainder of the recipe stay the same. 
2. Casserole can be made 1 day in advance. 
3. May be presented as an entrée, stuffed into something else (such as a chicken), as side dish accompaniment, or as football game hors d’oeuvre with crackers and beer. 
4. To make buttered French breadcrumbs, place the crumbs in a large bowl and slowly pour a scant amount of melted butter over, tossing crumbs thoroughly to coat evenly with butter.