Eats

Dish of the Day: Cajun seafood casserole with Cajun Country Rice

by Elizabeth Rose

This dish is a make-it-yourself Lenten treat. The good folks at the Falcon Rice Mill in Crowley have shared with us one of their Lenten favorites: Cajun Seafood Casserole.

The casserole blends local seafood and Cajun Country rice for a dish that's large enough to share with your family. The cracker crumbs provide a nice crust to complement the creamy filling. It's incredibly simple to make, so whip it up any night of the week - not just Fridays.

Without further ado...

Cajun Seafood Casserole

Ingredients
2 C cooked Cajun Country Medium Grain Rice
5 T butter, divided
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 oz. fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 lb. peeled and deveined Louisiana shrimp
1 lb. fresh Louisiana crabmeat
3/4 t salt
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 C Ritz cracker crumbs

Directions
1. In a small saucepan, melt cream cheese and 1/2 stick butter together on low heat.
2. In a separate saucepan add remaining 1/2 stick butter, onion, bell pepper, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté until vegetables are tender. Add Louisiana shrimp, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Sauté until shrimp are pink.
3. Add rice and cream cheese mixture; mix well.
4. Gently spoon in crabmeat.
5. Pour into 2-3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Learn more about the Falcon Rice Mill and its multitude of rice products here.