Mirliton, Andouille, & Gulf Shrimp Dressing

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 cup butter
• 1 large onion, medium diced
• 3 celery ribs, medium diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, medium diced
• 1 red bell pepper, medium diced
• 6 -8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lb andouille sausage, medium diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 -3 lbs gulf shrimp, medium, peeled and de-veined
• creole seasoning
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 8 cups french bread, roughly chopped and lightly toasted
• 8 -9 medium mirlitons

Recipe

• 1 cook unpeeled mirliton in salted water 40 minutes to an hour or until fork tender. drain and cool, but do not shock with cold water. peel with vegetable peeler, remove seeds and mash lightly, drain some, but not all liquid that accumulates after mashing.
• 2 in a large soup pan, melt butter and brown andouille. add onions, celery, peppers, garlic, and herbs. cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender.
• 3 add shrimp, creole seasoning and chicken stock; cook until shrimp are just cooked. (pink and curled). remove bay leaves.
• 4 remove from heat and add mirlitons, then bread, stirring with a wooden spoon until bread is moist but not too wet, adjust seasoning. you may add more bread or stock depending on dryness.
• 5 grease 3 in deep casserole with butter, add dressing, and cover with foil.
• 6 bake in preheated 350f oven 50 minutes or til bubbly around edges; remove foil and continue cooking until brown, about 30 minutes.