Indian Summer Casserole

This recipe is from Still Life with Menu by Mollie Katzen. She is one of my all-time favorite cookbook authors. You must know that she wrote the Moosewood Cookbook as well as Enchanted Broccoli Forrest and several others. Her recipes are mostly vegetarian, although her more recent publications include recipes for fish, poultry, and even beef! (Sharp intake of breath!) I have always loved her style of cooking and writing. She is such a creative soul and everything she produces is beautiful, healthy, and a little bit quirky. This recipe included.

I have made this dish numerous times over the years. I looked it up today because I have a few green tomatoes on my barely alive plants. The stinkbugs are ruining the chances of harvesting another red tomato this year, so I went ahead and picked the 2 green tomatoes that have not yet been damaged. Last year, I made a green tomato cake. This year, since I'm avoiding all flours and sugars, I decided to go for a casserole instead.

2 cups of corn (fresh or frozen is fine)
3 large bell peppers, chopped (green, yellow, and red would be perfect!)
2 green tomatoes, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup chopped scallions (or 1 chopped Vidalia onion)
1 TB olive oil
1 teas. sea salt
2 teas. ground cumin (or use whole seeds)
1 teas. fresh oregano leaves (or 1/2 t. dried)
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1 teas. dried)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
lots of freshly ground black pepper
cayenne, to taste (optional)
1/2 cup chopped olives, black and green
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilis, or one chopped fresh jalapeno
1/2 cup packed shredded mild cheese (Mexican or Monterey Jack or cheddar)
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup yogurt or buttermilk (Greek yogurt is fine)
paprika, to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter or grease a 6x9 inch baking pan. In a large skillet, saute all veggies with salt and cumin. Stir frequently for about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add the rest of the ingredients through cheese and combine well. Beat eggs and yogurt to make custard. Pour veggie mixture into greased pan, cover with custard, and sprinkle with paprika. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until eggs have completely set. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Makes about 4 servings. Only about 1 block of protein per serving, so you will need to use this as a side dish. Serve with about 2 ounces of chicken breast, salmon, or sliced steak. Enjoy!