budin azteca - mexican vegetarian casserole

This great vegetarian casserole is a spicy Mexican lasagne made from layers of tortillas, cheese and chopped vegetables.

It's the fifth recipe in the seven day lead up to Cinco de Mayo!

Budin Azteca (Aztec Casserole)
Recipe by Tia Bicky & Robot. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients:
12 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup grated cheese
Filling
1 cup corn kernels
3 finely chopped zucchinis
1 cup chopped buttons mushrooms
1 finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ cup chopped fresh coriander
Salt & pepper, to taste
Sauce
1 can of poblano chillies (or 2 fresh char-grilled poblano chillies)
½ cup milk
½ cup cream
1 vegetable stock cube
Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, then fry all filling ingredients (except coriander) until soft. When finished, stir in coriander.
2. To make the sauce, in a blender process the sauce ingredients together. Add more chillies to the sauce to taste.
3. Preheat the oven to 180’C.
4. Heat the sauce in a saucepan to thicken slightly.
5. Quickly fry the tortillas in oil to harden slightly. This prevents them from falling apart in the casserole.
6. In an ovenproof baking dish assemble layers of filling, sauce, grated cheese and tortillas, as you would prepare a lasagne.
7. Finish with a layer of grated cheese on top.
8. Place in oven for 20 minutes or until well heated all the way through with the cheese melted and bubbly on top.
Note: Add shredded chicken to the filling for a non-vegetarian version. If poblano chillies are not available a salsa verde or spicy tomato based salsa could be substituted.