Mexican Inspired Pork, Sweet Potato, Quinoa Casserole
Recipe created by Chef Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store (www.wellseasoned.ca)
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes thinly sliced with a mandolin
- 2 cups grated cheddar
- 2 cups grated mozzarella
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 12 oz jar of your favourite salsa
- 2 cups frozen corn
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound Johnston's Ground Pork
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 cup freshly chopped cilantro
- 2 avocados diced
- 1 cup sour cream optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using a mandolin, slice the sweet potato into thin slices (about 3 mm). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the quinoa with the salsa, and corn.
- In a large frying pan over medium high heat, add about half the olive oil. Sauté the onions & mushrooms just until they are starting to brown. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper – stir to combine. Remove from heat and add to bowl with the quinoa, salsa & corn. Stir to combine.
- Put the frying pan back on the heat and add the remaining olive oil, cook the ground pork with spices just until cooked through. Add the spiced pork to the quinoa mixture and stir to combine. Taste and re-season with salt & pepper if necessary.
- Grease the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan, and layer sweet potato slices the way you would layer noodles for a lasagna. Spread about half of the quinoa mixture and top with some of cheese. Repeat with another layer of sweet potato slices, meat & cheese and then finally top with a final layer of potatoes and a generous amount of cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake until sweet potatoes are cooked through, about 60 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for about 15 more minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, chopped avocado & a dollop of sour cream.
