Andouille and Apple Casserole
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
1 pound Cajun style andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4
3 Fuji apples, peeled, cubed and cored into 1/2″ dice
1 pound penne or rigatoni pasta, cooked
1 large yellow onion
3 cups white cheddar cheese, grated (New York and Vermont varieties work best)
1/4 cup flour
3 large jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and chopped
3 scallions, sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Cook the pasta in large pot of salted water until al dente, per directions on package. Drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot on medium-high heat, add the onions and saute until tender. Stir in the flour and mix well. Pour in the milk slowly, stirring continuously until the mixture starts to thicken, about 1 or 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of cheese. Add the apples, jalapenos and pasta to the cheese sauce and mix well.
Rub some oil on the inside of a 10 cup casserole dish and fill with the casserole ingredients. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the dish and spread the remaining cheese and chopped scallions over the top and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with salad.
Yields 8 servings.