Recipes Comfort Food Casseroles Mirliton and Gulf Shrimp Casserole 5.0 (1) 1 Review "Mirliton, or chayote squash, tastes like a blend of cucumber and crisp zucchini. Paired with warming Creole seasoning and savory andouille sausage, the tender squash and sweet shrimp bring balancing freshness to this hearty casserole. "I love this dish for two reasons," says 2009 Food & Wine Best New Chef Kelly English, who shared this recipe. "First, the mirliton—or chayote, for those who don't speak Louisiana—is such a specific squash. You can't recreate it with anything else, and it just sings with seafood. Second, it is exactly where both of my parents' families come together in a casserole, at every table for almost every occasion." Chef English's original family recipe included more melted butter; drizzle with a little extra before baking, if desired." By Kelly English Kelly English Why he won Because he's as adept at preparing stunning, seasonal dishes as he is at reinventing French-Creole standouts, like Natchitoches meat pies. Born 1978 Raised New Orleans Education The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Experience Restaurant August and Lüke, New Orleans; La Provence, Lacombe, LA. Career turning point "When I told my dad, who's a lawyer, that I wanted to go to culinary school instead of law school, he was surprisingly excited. He took me to August in New Orleans—we had gnocchi in fennel cream with crab and truffles, and from that first bite, I knew. That dish changed my life." How he decided to open Iris "I was in Memphis with my now-wife, Angela, and I heard about a space that was for sale, a local institution called La Tourelle. Inside, there was a stained-glass fleur-de-lys [a New Orleans symbol]. We went outside and there was a rainbow. I said, 'What's next, a unicorn?' " Culinary inheritance "When my grandmother died, my father and his sisters created a cookbook of all her recipes. We're an eating family, I'm telling you." Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 16, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 50 mins Servings: 8 Ingredients 8 cups water 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 2 (10-ounce) mirlitons (chayote squash) 1 cup unsalted butter (8 ounces), plus more for drizzling (optional) 8 ounces smoked andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup) 2 medium celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup) 2 tablespoons lower-sodium Creole seasoning 4 small garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 dried bay leaves 1 (12-ounce) fresh French bread loaf, torn into small pieces (about 12 cups) 1 pound peeled and deveined raw small Gulf shrimp 1 bunch scallions, sliced (about 1 cup) ½ cup unsalted chicken stock ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup) Directions Bring 8 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high. Reduce heat to low. Add mirlitons; cover and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Transfer mirlitons to ice water; let cool 5 minutes. Peel mirlitons; remove seeds. Chop mirlitons, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add andouille; cook until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove andouille; set aside. Reduce heat to low. Add mirlitons, onion, bell pepper, celery, Creole seasoning, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is very tender, about 25 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Stir in torn bread; cook, stirring constantly, until butter is absorbed, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in andouille, shrimp, scallions, stock, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with additional melted butter, if desired; sprinkle with cheese. Bake in preheated oven until browned, about 20 minutes. Note Find mirlitons at Latin American markets. Suggested Pairing Brisk, lemony Sauvignon Blanc: Ancient Peaks Paso Robles Rate it Print