Baked Stuffed Mirlitons (Chayote or Vegetable Pears)

An unusual recipe from the River Road Cookbook of the Junior League of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  chayotes (mirlitons or vegetable pears)
• 1  lb ground pork
• 3  medium onions, chopped
• 4  cloves garlic, minced
• 2  tablespoons  cooking oil
• 4  slices  dry  toast or 4  slices  stale bread
• 1⁄4 cup  breadcrumbs
•  butter
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Soak the dry toast/stale bread in water; squeeze out and set to the side.
3. Cut vegetables in half lengthwise; remove seed in center.
4. Boil in water until tender.
5. Scoop out and and mash or chop; reserve the shell for stuffing.
6. Saute the onions, garlic until translucent; add the ground pork and cook to a light brown.
7. Add 1 cup of water and cook slowly.
8. Add the drained and mashed or cut up vegetable and the toast/bread to the sausage mixture.
9. Mix well, season to taste with salt and pepper and fill reserved shells.
10. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with butter.
11. Bake until crumbs brown, approximately 30 minutes.