Shrimp Mirliton Casserole

Fills a 9 x 13 inch casserole

5 pounds mirliton, also called chayote or vegetable pear, it's a type of squash

2 pounds peeled deveined shrimp, if too large, cut in half

1/2 cup butter, OR 1/4 cup butter with 1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

Salt and pepper to taste, consider using black, white and red ground pepper

1 tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram, rosemary etc.

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/c cup sliced green onion

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

About 1 cup bread crumbs, slightly more or less depending on consistency, additional tablespoon for topping.

Boil the mirlitons in lightly salted water until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove, drain and allow to cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, peel and devein the shrimp. Depending on size, cut the shrimp in half if needed.

Peel (see the note about the alternative method before peeling) the cooled mirlitons. Cut in half removing the center seed, and cube the pulp. Place the pulp in a large sized mixing bowl.

Melt the butter or butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions, bell pepper, and celery until soft and translucent, about five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the Italian seasoning and garlic. Stir to mix well, should take less than one minute, then add the shrimp. Cook for about 3 minutes, just until the shrimp are cooked. Doesn't take long and don't over-cook the shrimp. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and green onion.

Add this to the mirliton pulp in the mixing bowl. Stir to mix. Add 3/4 cup of the bread crumbs to this mix. Add additional bread crumbs if it is too wet. You want moist. Not too dry. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Pour into a 9 x 13 inch casserole. Sprinkle a thin layer of bread crumbs on top. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until browned on top and heated through.

An alternative method would be to not peel the mirlitons, but cut in half and scoop out the pulp, saving the shells to stuff with the dressing made in the same manner described above. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and place them in a casserole or on a baking sheet to bake for the 30 minutes.

I generally serve the casserole as a holiday side dish, or serve the stuffed mirliton shells as a main course.

bon appetit