Recipe: Mirliton, Andouille and Shrimp Dressing (Creole Dressing)

This is a typical Thanksgiving dish in southern Louisiana.

Salt
4 mirlitons (also called chayote squash)*
3 sticks butter (this cut down from 6, might go to 4)
2 yellow onions, chopped medium
2 bell peppers, chopped medium
4 stalks celery, chopped medium
3 bay leaves
Freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

Creole seasoning:
  1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like spicier)
  1/4 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
  1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  3/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves


1 pound of baguette**
1½-2 pounds shrimp (31-40 per pound), peeled and deveined***
1 pound Andouille sausage, or smoked Polish sausage, in quarter-inch slices
1½ cup shrimp stock (see note)
1 bunch green onions, julienned
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups panko.

1. Bring about a gallon of water, with 3 tablespoons of salt, to boil in a
large pot. Add mirlitons and cook covered for 30 minutes. When tender, remove
to a bowl of ice water. Once cooled, peel, then cut each in half and remove
seed. Cut into medium dice and reserve.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter over medium heat in a large Dutch
oven. Add onions, peppers, celery, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and Creole
seasoning. Cook for 25 minutes, until vegetables are soft, and butter browns
slightly.

3. Meanwhile, tear up baguette and grind in food processor with metal blade
attachment to yield coarse crumbs.

4. Add shrimp to vegetables. When shrimp begin to take on color, add ground
bread. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, to fully incorporate bread and
let it absorb liquid. Remove from heat and add mirlitons, sausage, stock, green
onions, and cheese. Stir well and adjust seasoning. Transfer to 9x12" casserole
and top with panko. Bake until warm and crusty, about 30 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings.

Doubled Version (for men's retreat, TOP potluck, etc.) serves 16

8 small or 4 large mirlitons (chayote squash)
2 pounds butter
6 yellow onions
4 green bell peppers
8 stalks celery
bay leaves

Creole seasoning:
  2 teaspoons ground white pepper
  1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like spicier)
  1/2 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
  1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
  
2 pounds of baguettes (32 oz., can use 3 12 oz. baguettes)
3-4 pounds 31-40 shrimp, raw frozen with shells
2# Andouille sausage in 1/4" slices
3 cups shrimp stock
2 bunches green onions, julienned
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups panko

Note: For stock, simmer shrimp shells for 10 minutes in 1½ cups of
water. If you use 3 sticks of butter, you will need to use all of
this liquid to moisten the dressing. If you use more butter, reduce
the 1½ cups down to 1 cup.

* Around here chayote squash vary. Use 4 small ones or 2 big ones.
** 1 pound of baguette, may be two 8 oz. loaves
*** Buy shrimp raw with shells on - you need the shells for shrimp stock

Sources:

  I buy Andouille sausage from Johnson's Smokehouse on Greenwood Avenue
  I buy chayote squash at Macpherson's on Beacon Hill
  I buy panko (Japanese bread crumbs) at Foulee Market, 2050 S. Columbian Way
  I buy raw in-shell shrimp at Safeway (Costco shrimp only have tails)
  I buy two La Boulangerie baguettes at QFC and use one measured pound