Mama Mulate is a character in my French Quarter murder mystery Big Easy. When she’s not mixing voodoo potions, or teaching English at Tulane University, she’s likely in her kitchen, whipping up a meal fit for a Mardi Gras king. She has a garden behind her house near the river in New Orleans, where she grows her own herbs and vegetables. Check out her recipe for Creole zucchini.

• 2 zucchini squashes, ¼ inch slices
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsps flour
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp oregano
• ¼ tsp basil
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• ½ cup bread crumbs 

• 2 lbs shrimp, cooked and deveined
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Tbsp parsley, fresh, finely minced
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp sweet basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 c Mozzarella cheese, grated
• ½ c bread crumbs, seasoned 

In a saucepan, sauté onions, celery, green pepper, garlic and parsley in olive oil until soft. Add cornstarch and stir until well blended. Add tomato sauce, oregano and sweet basil and simmer for fifteen minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Layer the shrimp, and the tomato mixture in a greased casserole dish. Top with Mozzarella and bread crumbs and cook at 350 degrees until bubbly, about thirty minutes.

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