Admittedly, I would never have tried this if E.J. hadn’t practically dared me to, but this weekend, I tried a new recipe with a completely new vegetable. I don’t know if I even remember seeing the chayotes (or mirlitons) in the grocery store before, but E.J. said he really enjoyed them in dishes he ate when he was stationed overseas many years ago.
To me, the flavor is kind of like a cross between zucchini and a bell pepper. It’s not very strong flavored and is pretty soft when boiled, but firm enough to hold on to stuffing, which is how I ended up using it for this dish. Apparently Shrimp-Stuffed Mirlitons are a New Orleans delicacy, and I can see why – with shrimp and crab in a soft shell, it’s both fancy and flavorful. I decided to amp up the flavor with garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and cayenne just to give it a little spicy kick.
I paired it with sweet balsamic beets, which in hindsight might have been a bit overpowering for the delicate squash, but I’m always a sucker for the sweet & spicy combinations.
In addition to my adventures in strange green squash, I had some other really nice successes in the kitchen. Earlier in the week I found a Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe that I’m really excited about. The almond milk makes the color a little tan, but the flavor is amazing. We actually drizzled some dark chocolate flavored balsamic vinegar on it for kicks, and it was amazing.
I also made shrimp tacos again on Saturday for guests and though I wasn’t happy with the tortillas, the Mexican Cauli-Rice was really good. I’ll definitely be making that again as a paleo-friendly southwestern-style side dish.
The last dish of the day yesterday was this Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken & Sausage, which came out alright. I shredded the chicken with the veggies and served that with the sausage links for some nice weekday lunches – I haven’t had a chance to sit down and enjoy a full plate of this one yet, so I’ll reserve judgement, but the small taste I had was promising.
Have a great week everyone!
Reblogged this on Paleo Marine and commented:
The latest from the kitchen with Sherry. I’m glad she accepted the dare on the chayote. It’s really delicious!
Looks lovely!
Thanks! It was quite tasty – I think I will add some hot sauce or more cayenne to give it a little more kick next time, but it was still pretty good as is.