Mirliton Casserole Recipes

MIRLITON CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Take the mirlitons and boil until tender by sticking a sharp knife into it. If it goes in easily just as when testing a potato they are ready. Do not overcook.
• Drain and cool.
• Meanwhile, take your seasonings except for the garlic and parsley and saute until soft.
• Add shrimp and saute until pink.
• add garlic and parsley, bread crumbs, salt & pepper.
• Turn off heat.
• Take the mirlitons and cut in half lengthwise.
• Take a teaspoon and scoop out the seed and sac that surrounds it.
• Then scoop out the meat of the merliton and save it in the pan along with the dressing.
• You can use the shells to refill with the dressing if you care to. Since I usually end up tearing my shells, I usually end up using a casserole dish and adding everything into it after mixing well.
• If the mixture is dry once it is all mixed, you can add a little water or chicken broth a little at a time until it is just a tad pasty.
• Place a pat of butter on each half and bake in medium oven until browned and bubbly.
• You can make these ahead of time and freeze them.
• Take them out a day before you need them and let them thaw in the refrigerator and bake right before serving.
• For variety, you can use hot sausage out of the casing or ground meat.

SHRIMP AND MIRLITON CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the mirlitons and cook until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, combine the shrimp with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon Bayou Blast in a mixing bowl and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• When the mirlitons are cool, cut them in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, peel, and coarsely chop. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and jalapeno. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon Bayou Blast and the thyme. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the mirlitons and cook, mashing them with a potato masher, until very tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Add the shrimp, salt, black pepper, green onions, and parsley. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Add the eggs, 1 cup of the bread crumbs, and the pepper sauce. Mix well. Spoon the mixture into a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs. Bake until the topping is lightly browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.

SHRIMP-STUFFED MIRLITON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the mirliton halves cut-side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add 1 cup of water, cover tightly with foil and bake until soft, cooked through and easily poked with a fork, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.) Scoop out the pulp--making sure to leave a 1/4-inch border all around--then chop the pulp and reserve. Discard the water from the baking dish and return the scooped-out mirliton halves cut-side down.
• Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter with the Cajun seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, garlic, bell pepper, onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and just begin to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the sausage, hot sauce and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the sausage is warmed through and the tomatoes start to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Add the crab, shrimp and reserved mirliton pulp and continue cooking until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Microwave the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small microwave-safe dish until melted, about 30 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs and parsley and stir until well combined.
• Turn each mirliton half over so the cut side is facing up. Stuff each with about 1/2 cup of the crab and shrimp mixture--it will seem like a lot, but that's OK. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the breadcrumbs turn a deep golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with additional hot sauce if desired.

MIRLITON (CHAYOTE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the mirlitons and cook until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside to cool completely.
• 2. Sprinkle ground beef, pork or sausage with 1 tablespoon creole seasoning and brown in heavy skillet. Drain and set aside.
• 3. When the mirlitons are cool, cut them in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, peel, and coarsely chop. Set aside.
• 4. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, carrots, celery, green onions and jalapeno. Add remaining creole seasoning and the thyme. Cook slowly, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden, about 30 minutes.
• 5. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the mirlitons and cook, mashing them with a potato masher, until very tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
• 6. At this point, if you want a smoother textured casserole use an immersion blender or put mixture into a food processor or blender in small batches until everything is pureed. If you like a chunkier casserole then skip this step.
• 7. Add the meats or seafood, salt, black pepper, and parsley. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat.
• 8. Add the eggs and toasted bread crumbs and mix well. You want the mixture to be tight, not too wet. Spoon the mixture into a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella or parmesan cheese (optional), or with about 1-2 tablespoons of bread crumbs.
• 9. Bake at 350 until the topping is lightly browned and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Serve warm.
• 10. *NOTES: In a skillet, toast the breadcrumbs in a little olive oil over medium heat until it turns 2 shades darker. This will keep the casserole from being gummy.
• 11. If you make extra toasted breadcrumbs you can freeze them in a ziplock bag until you're ready to use them again.

CAJUN SHRIMP MIRLITON CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Simmer mirlitons in water to cover by 2 inches in an 8-quart pot, partially covered, until very tender, about 1 hour. Drain mirlitons, then halve and peel, discarding pits. Coarsely chop in a food processor.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cook onions and bell peppers in 6 tablespoons butter in a 6- to 7-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add mirlitons and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. (Do not let vegetables brown.) Stir in cracker crumbs, shrimp, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Spoon into a shallow 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and bake in upper third of oven until crumbs are just golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

MIRLITON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add mirliton, and boil until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain, cool, and peel. Cut in half, remove seeds, and cut into cubes.
• When the mirliton are almost done, bring another pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp, and cook for about 5 minutes, until pink. Drain shrimp, reserving the water for later. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry onion and garlic in the oil until soft. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add the shrimp, ham, and cubed mirliton. Beat the egg in a small dish with a tablespoon of the water from the shrimp; pour into the baking dish. Mix in the bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper until evenly blended. If it seems a little dry, add a little more water from the shrimp. You have the choice to freeze, refrigerate, or bake at this point. Sprinkle some more breadcrumbs on top if desired.
• Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown on top.