Totally stole this from a restaurant

This is Tawm

Tawm took me to this restuarant

Where I ate this

It's CALABAZA RELLENA! 

 

I don't know!  All I know is that it is delicious and all I want to eat for the rest of my life.  Most of the last month has been a series of depressed attempts to replace this dish in my life, and extreme self-loathing for taking French instead of Spanish in high school.  Also, I simply do not trust Google Translate for this reason:


Original:  Calabaza Rellena
First Attempt English:  Fill Pumpkin
Second Attempt Spanish:  Llena de calabaza
Second Attempt English:   You fill the pumpkin
Third Attempt Spanish: Que se llenan la calabaza
Final Attempt English:  That fill pumpkin

Anyway, weeks of pining after this amazing Latino-fusion dish, Irv and Shelly's came to the rescue!

They sent me a Butternut Squash!  Not only is it the tastiest of all the squashes, it is the edible bowl of Calabaza Rellena!  It was a sign from the magic-appear-at-your-door-on-Wednesdays produce gods!  So I set out on my mission:  create a recipe from memory only.

YOU WILL NEED...
1-2 Butternut squashes (depending on how many people you are serving)
1 cup of rice (or a couple bags of instant Uncle Ben's)
1 Zucchini
2 Handfulls of crimini mushrooms
10 pieces of shrimp
Butter... a stick of it?
About 1/4c brown or white sugar
Cayenne Pepper, brown pepper, red pepper, cajun seasoning if you have it





Step One:  READY THE EDI-BOWL!

1.  Cut the top off of the Butternut squash and dig out the insides like a jack-o-lantern.  You don't have to carve a face into it if you don't want to.  It is just highly recommended.  And awesome.
2.  Peel and cut the remainder of the butternut squash into hashbrown-sized squares.
3.  Rub brown sugar (or honey) on the inside and rim of the butter-nut-o-lantern and butternut squares.
4.  Put on foil covered cookie sheet in over for 25 minutes at 350.  After 25 minutes, take out squares, but put the bowl back in for another ten minutes.

Step Two:  MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RICE PATTY...
1.  Make some rice.  This is not complicated.  Buy a back of instant Uncle Ben's White rice and throw it in a pan of boiling water.  Follow the directions on the box.  YOU CAN DO IT!

Step Three:  FUN WITH KNIVES

Imagine this guy->

Is these ingredients ->

 

DISMEMBER TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT

Seriously, though, just chop 'em up and throw them into a large frying pan with a little butter and cook until mushrooms and zucchini are tender.

Step Four:  MAKE THE SAUCE

1.  Melt a half stick of butter, 1/4 c of heavy cream, and about 1/4 c sugar in a pot.  This be your sauce.  Just don't burn it.  Then it be your shame.

Step Five:  MAKE YOUR SHRIMP INTO BUTTERFLIES

1.  The term "butterfly shrimp" confused me for many of my young years, but now I have mastered the technique.  And by mastered I mean I have watched somebody do it.  Clean your shrimp and make a cut all the way down the back so that they look like squishy, gray, unappealing butterflies.  Throw them in a small saute pan with the spices (you can make it as spicy as you want) for about 5-7 minutes.  Do not overcook.  This can also be done with chicken if you happen to hate shrimp.

Step Six:  MIX IT ALL TOGETHER AND TIME IT PERFECTLY LIKE A BOSS

1.  Take that butternut bowl out of the oven!

2.  Mix that sauce into the rice along with the sauteed veggies!

3.  Dump that rice mixture into the butternut bowl!

4.  Throw that blackened shrimp on top!

BOOM!  You've got Calabaza Rellena!

Until next time...