MIRLITON, SHRIMP AND CORN BREAD DRESSING
Prep Time:1½ Hours
Yields: 10–12 Servings
Comment:
There are as many unique styles of stuffing and dressing as there are cooks. The combination of mirliton, or chayote squash as some may call it, with seafood is a great example of one such holiday side dish.
Ingredients:
6 mirlitons, peeled, seeded and diced ¼-inch
2 pounds (70–90 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 cups cooked corn bread, crumbled and divided
1 quart chicken stock
¼ pound butter
1 cup diced onions
¾ cup diced celery
½ cup minced green bell peppers
½ cup minced red bell peppers
½ cup minced yellow bell peppers
12 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp rubbed sage
2 tbsps chopped basil
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped parsley
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
4 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 cups reserved stock
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large stockpot, bring chicken stock to a low boil. Add diced mirlitons and simmer until fork tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and set aside, reserving stock. Mash mirlitons to a coarse consistency and keep warm. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and sliced garlic then sauté until vegetables are wilted, 5–7 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until pink and curled. Add sage, basil and mashed mirlitons and blend well into the shrimp mixture. Cook until shrimp cooking liquid is reduced by half. Add green onions and parsley, blending well. Season mixture lightly with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Simmer mixture for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove ingredients from pot and place into a large mixing bowl. Gently stir in 3 cups of the cornbread to absorb liquid. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and heavy whipping cream. Slowly blend egg mixture into the stuffing, stirring well. Add remaining 2 cups of corn bread. Additional stock may be added to retain moisture should the mixture become too dense during blending. Adjust seasonings if necessary using salt, pepper and granulated garlic. When ready to cook, place mixture in a 9” x 13” x 2” baking pan, cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook until lightly browned on top. |
