Hot Sausage & Mirliton Casserole
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Hot sausage and mirliton casserole is the New Orleans Creole classic: chayote squash baked with Italian sausage, bell peppers, bread cubes, mozzarella, and fontina. A holiday-table staple.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
48 minCOOK
50 minREADY
1⅔ hrsHot sausage and mirliton casserole is the Louisiana heirloom side that shows up on every New Orleans holiday table. Mirliton (called chayote or vegetable pear elsewhere) gets boiled whole until tender, peeled, seeded, and cubed. Its subtle squash-meets-apple flavor is what makes the whole casserole work because it absorbs every bit of Creole seasoning around it.
The build follows classic South Louisiana logic. Hot Italian sausage browns first, then the rendered drippings cook down the Creole holy trinity of onions, bell peppers, and garlic with Cajun seasoning and fresh thyme. The cubed mirliton joins the pan next to soak up those flavors, then everything moves to a big bowl with day-old French bread cubes, cream, fresh herbs, two eggs, and cubes of mozzarella and fontina. A dusting of Pecorino Romano and fine breadcrumbs forms a golden crust during the 45-minute bake.
Chef Tips
- Do not skip the full 45-minute mirliton boil. Undercooked mirliton stays watery and squeaky, a textural disaster in a casserole.
- Cook the vegetables until they actually start to caramelize around the edges. Pale, softened vegetables contribute nothing. Caramelized ones carry the dish.
- Use day-old, not fresh, bread cubes. Fresh bread turns into soggy dough in the custard; stale bread soaks up the liquid and keeps structure.
- Let the casserole rest about 10 minutes after pulling from the oven. Cutting in hot means the filling slides everywhere.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Place the mirlitons in a large pot and cover with water by 1-inch.
Bring to a boil and cook until a knife can be inserted easily, about 45 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool.
When cool enough to handle, halve the mirlitons, peel, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes.
While mirlitons are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil.
Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 6 minutes.
Remove the sausage using a slotted spoon and set aside.
Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pan.
To the remaining drippings in the pan, add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, Essence, salt, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are very soft, give off their liquid and begin to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the cubed mirlitons, season with black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until they give off any excess liquid and soften, 12 to 15 minutes.
Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly before adding the reserved sausage, butter, green onions, parsley, basil, bread cubes, heavy cream, chicken stock, if needed, eggs, mozzarella and fontina.
Stir well to combine.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Lightly grease a 3 quart casserole dish (or a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish).
Transfer the mirliton mixture to the casserole and sprinkle the top with the grated Pecorino Romano and the bread crumbs.
Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, then bake until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve.
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