Stuffed Chayote Aka Mirliton Choko Or Vegetable Pear Recipes

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.

SAUTéED CHAYOTE SQUASH

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash on a cutting board, cut-side down, and slice it thinly. Repeat with the remaining chayote squash.
• Melt the butter in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute longer.
• Add the sliced chayote squash to the skillet and continue to cook, tossing often, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the chayote squash with a garnish of fresh herbs and/or Parmesan cheese, if desired.

BAKED STUFFED MIRLITONS (CHAYOTE OR VEGETABLE PEARS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Soak the dry toast/stale bread in water; squeeze out and set to the side.
• Cut vegetables in half lengthwise; remove seed in center.
• Boil in water until tender.
• Scoop out and and mash or chop; reserve the shell for stuffing.
• Saute the onions, garlic until translucent; add the ground pork and cook to a light brown.
• Add 1 cup of water and cook slowly.
• Add the drained and mashed or cut up vegetable and the toast/bread to the sausage mixture.
• Mix well, season to taste with salt and pepper and fill reserved shells.
• Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with butter.
• Bake until crumbs brown, approximately 30 minutes.

STUFFED MIRLITON

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375° F.
• In a large pot, boil the mirlitons in lightly salted water until the flesh is tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the pot and cool under running tap water. Halve them and, using a metal spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Gently scoop all of the flesh out of the shells. Set the flesh and shells aside.
• In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, green onions, ham, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are wilted. Add a little of the chicken broth if the mixture becomes too dry. Add the mirliton flesh and cook for 20 minutes. Add the shrimp and parsley and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in 1 cup of the bread crumbs.
• Mound the stuffing mixture into the mirliton shells. Put the halves in a baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and pour the remaining broth in the baking dish. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crumbs are golden brown.

STUFFED MIRLITON

Steps:

• Simmer mirlitons until tender.
• Cut each in half, remove seeds and carefully spoon out pulp.
• Set aside.
• Saute onion, garlic& margarine until tender.
• Add french bread that has been soaked in water and squeezed until almost dry, then chopped.
• Cook a few minutes, then add thyme& parsley, continue to cook another 5 minutes.
• Add mirliton that has been chopped& mashed.
• Add salt& pepper.
• Cook 12-15 minutes, then add ham.
• Cook 8-10 minutes.
• Put in greased casserole dish& top with bread crumbs.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
• 1/4 lb.
• shrimp or 3-4 slices of bacon can be substituted for the ham.

SHRIMP STUFFED MIRLITONS (CHAYOTE OR VEGETABLE PEARS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Parboil mirlitons/chayote/vegetable pears until almost tender.
• Cut in half and scoop out the meat; mash and set aside, reserving shells.
• Saute onion and garlic in shortening until translucent; add celery and cook until tender.
• Add mashed mirlitons, shrimp, 1/2 of the cheese, and salt and pepper to the sauteed vegetables.
• Fill the reserved shells, cover with remaining cheese and bread crumbs.
• Bake until crumbs have browned, approximately 30 minutes.

STUFFED CHAYOTE AKA MIRLITON, CHOKO OR VEGETABLE PEAR

Steps:

• Wash chayotes, cut and half and scoop out, using a spoon or potato ball cutter; reserve pulp.
• Mix next five ingredients together and fill cavities loosely.
• Saute pulp in olive oil until golden and add tomatoes.
• Place stuffed chayotes ina greased pan, pour sauteed mixture over them and enough hot water to cover.
• Simmer, covered, for 90 minutes or bake in a slow oven (325F).
• Serve hot with sauce.