Kick off with gluten-free tamale casserole

Welcome to the January doldrums, when sails hang slack and attempts are made to ignore the cold. It's the perfect time to hunker down, watch football games, and eat plenty of comfort food.

Although the college bowls are over, here is a recipe I found and fiddled with that seems to be something most everybody likes, whether gluten is an issue or not. It's in plenty of time for the Super Bowl, too.

The original recipe comes from Chef Jesus Gonzalez of La Cocina Que Canta at Rancho La Puerta, and was published on EatingWell.com. I like the fact that the steaming of the casserole retains the essence of tamale, and I also like the fact that you can put anything you like (spinach and mushrooms, pulled pork, chicken and green chilies ...) in the middle instead of shrimp. And, other sauces can be used to top the casserole, like tomatillo or tomato salsa.

If dairy is a problem, Tofu "cream cheese" and "sour cream" can be substituted.

Here's hoping your team wins!

Gluten-free Shrimp Tamale Casserole with Pumpkin Mole

Pumpkin Mole

6 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons olive oil

1⁄2 cup chopped onion

21⁄2 cups chicken stock

2 cloves sliced garlic

6 dried apricot halves, diced

2 dried red chilies, stemmed and seeded

1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin

11⁄2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Salt to taste

Heat the cloves, cinnamon stick and sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until the sesame seeds are golden-brown. Grind them all together in a coffee grinder or food mill. Reserve.

In a large saucepan, saute the chopped onions in the olive oil until they are transparent. Add the chicken stock and all the other ingredients (including the spices) except the chocolate. Bring to a boil, then cook at a simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the chilies and discard them. Puree the mixture, return it to the pan and add the chocolate, stirring until it melts. Thin with additional chicken stock, or water, if necessary.

The mole can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 months.

Shrimp Tamale Casserole

Batter:

2 cups masa harina (ground corn with lime)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin

1⁄4 teaspoon red chili powder

1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt

21⁄2 cups water, divided

1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons canola-based margarine, melted

Olive oil spray

In a large mixing bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients, including the herbs and salt.

Mix in 2 cups of the water and combine thoroughly; add additional tablespoons of water, mixing slowly, until the mixture is the consistency of a thick pancake batter. Add the olive oil and melted margarine and mix at medium-high speed for 4 minutes more, scraping down the sides as needed.

Filling:

1 lb. frozen shrimp, 21-25 count, thawed, peeled and de-veined

1⁄4 cup cream cheese

2 cloves garlic

1⁄3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces and warm in a skillet on medium heat for 1 minute. Chop garlic and add it to the skillet for 1 minute more. Add the cream cheese and stir slowly until it coats the shrimp.

Reserve the chopped cilantro for assembling the casserole.

Assembly:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Prepare an 8 X 12 baking pan with olive oil spray.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the shrimp mixture evenly over the batter. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro over the shrimp. Pour on the second half of the batter.

Place the casserole in a larger pan filled with boiling water and bake for 40 to 55 minutes, or until set. Remove from the oven, cover for 10 minutes, and serve with 2-3 tablespoons mole sauce and a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 9

Mary Schlenger, nutrition consultant, and I have put together a discussion group in Carson City for persons with gluten intolerance/celiac disease. We meet at 7:15 p.m. at Luv'nLight Studio the second Monday of each month. The next meeting will be March 14 (since our February meeting would have fallen on Valentine's Day). E-mail me if you'd like more information.

• Susan Hart has been cooking gluten-free for 15 years. She teaches continuing education classes in gluten-free baking at Truckee Meadows Community College and can be reached at glutenfree.hart@gmail.com.