I’m sure I’d never hear the end of it – but I’m calling this a custard instead of a casserole, because it is. It has a custard like texture when done correctly, and the mirliton isn’t all watery. Trust me here, as a Northerner I didn’t let “tradition” dictate how to prepare the mirliton which can be a watery mess…but I did source the very best ingredients I could get my hands on, including fresh shrimp right off the docs at 7 in the morning.
Also, I should say I only learned of a mirliton from our realtor who grew up in New Orleans, it’s a squash of sorts people grow on their fences. It’s also known as Chayote, and doesn’t seem to difficult to find when the holidays roll around.
Finally, if you can’t find Tasso ham, you’ll need to make up for the missing seasoning, and you would do so by using Creole Seasoning. I’d recommend adding 1 teaspoon at a time to your cream mixture and tasting it. It can get salty quickly depending on the brand…and truthfully, I haven’t found one I would recommend.
Mirliton, Shrimp and Tasso Ham Custard – 12 servings
6 mirlitons (about 9 oz each)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 oz tasso ham, diced
2 medium onions, diced
1 lb 70/90-count shrimp, peeled and deveined
15 garlic cloves, minced
5 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 dashes of crystal hot sauce
Kosher salt and Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 cups crushed ritz crackers
1 bunch of scallions, green and white part thinly sliced
12 large shrimp for garnish, optional
In a large pot, add mirlitons and cover with water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Cook for about 1 hour, or until you feel very little resistance when you pierce with a knife. Drain and allow to cool completely. Once completely cooled, peel the skin back, halve and remove the seed. Dice into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
Meanwhile, using 1 tablespoon of butter, prepare your choice of casserole dish and set aside. Combine eggs, milk, heavy cream, and hot sauce, set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter, and sauté the tasso ham until browned. Add the onions, and season with salt and pepper, sauté until tender. Add the diced mirliton, carefully stirring so as not to burn or smash, but allow the mirliton to release excess water. You will note that the squash will have released quite a bit of water, so just continue to cook until most of moisture has evaporated. Add the shrimp and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the cream mixture to the shrimp mixture along with 1/4 cup of cheese and combine well. Pour into casserole dish.
For the topping, melt remaining tablespoon of butter, add ritz, sliced green onion and season with black pepper. Allow to cool and mix in remaining 1/4 cup of cheese, spread over the top of the casserole. If you choose to garnish the top of the casserole with large shrimp, this is the time to place them accordingly. Cover dish with foil.
Bake for 1 hour, and then remove foil, and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. Serve hot.
Happy Cooking! Bon Appétit!
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