Crispy Mirliton and Spicy Shrimp Napoleon with Tomato Remoulade
This is a new take on a New Orleans classic, Shrimp Remoulade. Instead of greens and shrimp mounded on a plate and drizzled with sauce, fried mirliton crisps are used to build towers of mirliton and dressed shrimp. The greens show up as frisee, crowning the towers. Small bits of red and yellow bell pepper garnish the plates with bright color. The really good news is that most of the dish can be prepared ahead of time, and the towers assembled at the last minute.
Ingredients
- Mirlitons
- Mirlitons (chayote squash) - 2 (alt. eggplant or green tomatoes)
- Flour - for dredging
- Eggs - 2, mixed with 2 cups milk and 1/2 cup cool water
- Oil - for deep frying
- Spicy Shrimp
- Water - 2 quarts
- Crab boil seasoning mixture - 1 tablespoon
- Lemons - 2, sliced
- Garlic - 1/2 head, separated
- Salt - 1/2 to 1 cups, to taste
- Shrimp - 1-1/2 pound 21- to 25-count (medium-large), peeled and deveined
- Remoulade
- Mayonnaise - 1 cup
- Sour Cream - 1/2 cup
- Creole mustard (whole grain mustard) - 1/2 cup
- Chili Sauce - 1/2 cup (alt. ketchup)
- Crystal hot sauce - 5 dashes, or other hot sauce
- Celery - 1 tablespoon, minced
- Green Onions - 2 tablespoons, minced, green part
- Horseradish - 1 tablespoon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Egg - 1, boiled, shelled and chopped fine
- Frisee - 4 ounces
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Red Bell Pepper - 1/4, finely julienned
- Yellow Bell Pepper - 1/4, finely julienned
- Shrimp - 4, heads, boiled (optional)
Instructions
To prepare the mirlitons: Pare the skin of the mirliton. Stand the mirliton on end on a mandolin or V-slicer and cut into thin round slices. Remove the piece of seed in the center of each. Season both sides with Creole seasoning. Put the flour in a shallow pan and the egg wash (egg mixture) in another. Using one hand for the dry mixture and one hand for the wet egg wash, dip the seasoned mirliton slices in the flour, then into the egg wash, then back in the flour to coat well. Repeat if necessary to get a thick coating. Set aside.
Heat the oil to 350 F in a deep fryer or deep heavy saucepan. Slip the coated mirliton slices into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon and drain on a towel. Set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the shrimp: combine all ingredients except the shrimp and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the shrimp. Return to a boil, then take off the stove. Put under the faucet and run cold water into the pan until the water in the pan is cold. Drain. Cut each shrimp in half horizontally.
To make the remoulade: Stir the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, chili sauce, and hot sauce together in a bowl. Add the celery, green onions, and horseradish and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the chopped egg. If the sauce is very thick, thin with a little heavy cream.
To serve: Toss the shrimp with a little of the remoulade sauce to coat. Make a small pool remoulade sauce in the center of each plate, and drizzle a ring of sauce around the edge. Place a mirliton disc in the center of each. Cover with shrimp. Top with a second mirliton disc. Cover with more shrimp, then repeat to make three layers. Toss the frisee with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place a small bundle of dressed frisee on top of each stack. Drizzle more sauce around each dish. Arrange pepper strips around the plates. Garnish each with a shrimp head (optional).
