What is a merliton?

lots_of_laughs on Mon, 29th Mar 2010 9:05 pm 



mirliton (in Louisiana) is the same as chayote (every where else)

It’s a gourd that needs to be cooked… when cooked it’s sort of like cucumber but slightly more tender…. kind of sweet. It’s hard to describe. It’s pretty good.

According to wiki, it was discovered in Jamaica, but I know it’s pretty popular in Asian cuisines. My filipino neighbors in SF grew them on a trellis. Looked pretty easy to cultivate.

Julia R on Mon, 29th Mar 2010 9:22 pm 



(L)
Seafood Stuffed Shells
Seafood Stuffed Shells
Serves 4

8 jumbo shells, cooked
filling:
1Tb olive oil
1Tb butter
3-4 cloves garlic
1 med shallot or 1/4 c onion
1 c bay scallops
4-5 med shrimp or 1/3 c salad shrimp
1/2 c frozen chopped spinach, drained
handful of fresh basil or 1t dried basil
1 c shredded parmesan
1 c ricotta
dash fresh nutmeg

Sauce:
2Tb butter
1Tb flour
3/4c parmesan
1.5c 1/2 1/2 or milk
2Tb sherry or white wine
1ts lemon juice
dash fresh nutmeg

Instructions:
Start your water for your shells. Put olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. When melted, add garlic and shallots. Keep heat low so that you sweat the veggies, but do not brown them. When they are translucent, add your scallops and shrimp. Salt and pepper to taste (the 6 pepper blend is good in this, but sparingly!). While the seafood gently cooks, dry your spinach and put in food processor with basil and enough parmesan to fill the bowl. Pulse until parm is chopped. This may take a couple of times. Your water for the shells should be boiling by now, toss in your shells and stir occasionally to separate. When your seafood is cooked to medium (the scallops will be getting opaque), put in the food processor with all the pan drippings and pulse until chopped. Do not make a paste! Add the seafood to the spinach/parm mixture, then add your ricotta and nutmeg. Combine thoroughly, make sure it’s got enough salt and pepper and put into a ziploc bag for piping into the shells. The shells should be done by now, so drain and rinse with cool water so you can handle them. Put some oil in the bottom of a baking dish to receive your filled shells. Cut the tip off your plastic bag and gently pipe the filling into the shells. Set aside. Put your oven to 375?.

Make this bechamel sauce in a medium saucepan. Start on medium heat to melt your butter. Do not burn the butter! Add your flour to the hot butter and stir until you form a smooth paste. Add in about 1/3 of the parm and keep stirring. Start adding your 1/2 1/2 a little at a time. Add your sherry and lemon juice. Keep stirring at all times! Continue adding your parm and 1/2 1/2 until you have a thick cheesy sauce. You may thin the sauce with some water if you feel it’s too thick. Check your seasoning, then pour the sauce over the shells and garnish with some pepper and nutmeg. Bake in a 375? oven for about 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and slightly brown on top.

Christina H on Mon, 29th Mar 2010 10:02 pm 



I had them in New Orleans. It’s similar to squash in taste.

dune_laurel on Mon, 29th Mar 2010 10:41 pm 



CHAYOTE SQUASH, Mirliton, Christophene
Chayote is a gourd-like member of the squash family that is about the size and shape of a very large pear. The skin is pale green and smooth with slight ridges that run lengthwise. Many compare the color to a light green apple. The flesh is white and there is one soft seed in the middle. Chayote is grown in several states including California, Florida, and Louisiana, but it is native to Latin America. Historically, this squash was one of the primary foods of the Aztecs and Mayas. Chayote is also called mirliton and the French call it christophene.

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