This pear-shaped squash generally turns up in fall, and if we have a mild winter, you might see some in springtime as well. Often served pickled or shrimp stuffed (see the recipe of the week for our favorite rendition of the latter) this vegetable also graces many a New Orleans Thanksgiving table as a dressing. A native of Mexico and South and Central America, the mirliton was adopted into creole cooking in the 1700s when the city was a Spanish colony, but its popularity persisted even as the French took back over, resulting in the name change from the Spanish “chayote” to the French “mirliton”. A harkening back to the rich history of the city, mirlitons have been and remain a hearty and versatile vegetable option, and have penetrated into Vietnamese cuisine.
Check out this link for a more in-depth history of New Orleans’ relationship with the mirliton. Pick them up at our
Tuesday,
Thursday or
Saturday markets.
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