MIRLITON SOUP

Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 6 Servings

Comment:
Mirlitons, commonly called chayote squash, are useful because they pick up the flavor of other ingredients in a dish. In this soup, the mirlitons not only absorb and enhance the taste of the shrimp, but also smooth out the texture of the finished product. By using light margarine, defatted chicken stock, and evaporated milk, this recipe still has all the flavor with a fraction of the calories.

Ingredients:
6 mirlitons
1½ pounds (70–90 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup light margarine
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced celery
¼ cup red bell pepper
¼ cup minced garlic
¾ cup flour
3 quarts defatted chicken stock, unsalted
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 (8-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
½ cup sliced green onions
½ cup chopped parsley
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
Louisiana hot sauce to taste

Method:
Slice mirlitons in half lengthwise. Boil in lightly salted water until tender but not overcooked. Remove from heat and cool under tap water. Peel, remove seeds and dice into ¼-inch cubes. Reserve approximately 1 cup of cubes for garnish. Mash or purée remaining mirliton and set aside. In a Dutch oven, melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, red bell pepper and minced garlic. Sauté 3–5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Stir in mashed mirliton and half of shrimp. Continue to sauté 5–10 minutes or until mirliton is well blended and shrimp are pink and curled. Sprinkle in flour and mix well. Add chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until a soup-like consistency is achieved. Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook 20–30 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining shrimp and mushrooms then blend in evaporated milk, green onions and parsley. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Season to taste using salt, pepper, granulated garlic and hot sauce. When serving, garnish each bowl with a tablespoon of diced mirlitons.

Nutritional Facts (per serving):
Calories:                       334
Total Fat:                      6g
Saturated Fat:               1g
% Calories from Fat:      17
Cholesterol:                   173mg
Sodium:                        985mg
Carbohydrates:              30g
Fiber:                            3g
Protein:                         39g