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It is quite untrue to say that no casserole is a good casserole. After all, they have enjoyed fairly consistent popularity over the course of the last century, though the concept has been around much longer. If all casseroles were horrible, we wouldn't still be making them. Recipes for casseroles, however, can be downright scary. A can of sauce, a frozen chunk of miscellaneous meat and less than appetizing vegetables, possibly added to conceal a look of produce past its prime.
Because slow cooked food can be quite delicious, though, it is worth improvising your own recipe. You need a cooked mixture of meat and/or vegetables as a base, topped with a layer that will crisp up nicely as the casserole bakes. Puff pastry, cheese and mashed potatoes (as in a Shepard's pie) are good choices. This is my version of a Tamale Casserole, using fresh and canned vegetables that were first cooked with a spice mixture before being sandwiched within a tamale-like masa harina crust and baked. The filling features onions, peppers, roasted tomatoes, black beans and spinach, spiced up with cumin, chili powder and coriander, with a dash each of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. The masa harina layer is made from corn tortilla dough, the same recipe found on the side of the bag of masa, with a bit of salt and pepper added for flavoring. With a thin layer in the bottom of the casserole dish to support the filling, after the casserole was baked it held together beautifully for serving. The top layer became crisp, while the bottom remained soft and tender. Extra cheese on top optional.
Served with sour cream and salsa, the dish reminded me of chili and cornbread, or perhaps of a very hearty, spicy dip. In any event, the recipe-less casserole turned out much tastier than most versions I have seen in cookbooks. If you want a more specific recipe for a similar dish, Too Many Chefs has a recipe for a Three Bean Tamale Casserole, which looks and sounds delicious.
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