I have never been a fan of stuffed vegetables. For most part I find them tedious and not quite worth the effort.
I also find it off putting that most stuffed recipes involve filling up green bell pepper with rice meat and what not. Hence, you won't dind many of those on this blog.
I will say this, that in past couple of months, I'm having to re-think my opinion. I had the most splendid mashed potato stuffed long peppers in Sicily cooked by my good friend and genius chef, Silvia.
And more recently these ingenius stuffed chayote squash, mirlitons (pronounced mah-lee-tans)
I don't know about you but mah-lee-tans just sounds sexier than squash - French creole will do that to just about any ingredient!
Secondly, for a change I get to stuff a vegetable with some honest to goodness nutritional value with some delcious ingredients - like shrimp and veggies and a lovely bread crumb topping. Yummmmm
These babies are all the rage in Lousiana where people have these growing by the bushels in their backyard on trees and are forever handing these off to neighbors and whoever comes visiting.
For the rest of us, oh so! far from Louisana, no one is handing these off to us by the bushel and a visit to the Mexican or Asian market is the best place to get these and prices that won't burn a hole in your pocket.
For those who can't find chayote/mirlitons at all, I'd recommend doing the same recipe with zucchinis halved lengthwise but you'd have to cook them for lesser time.
What makes these so delicious is the homemade creole seasoning in which the shrimp is marinated and then sauteed with 'the trinity' -onions, celery and peppers and scooped up veggie. The home toasted breadcrumbs and a fantastic texture.
These are so delicious and you better believe it! My 12 year old just walked in while I was writing this post and said, "I would not mind having these again at all".
You know what they say, from the mouth of babes and all.....
Gather the ingredients,
4 large Mirlitons a.k.a. chayote squash, 2 tbs unsalted butter, 2 tbs olive oil, large yellow onion (to yield 1-1/2 cups, finely chopped), Celery (to yield 1 cup, finely chopped), small green bell pepper (to yield 1/2 cup, finely chopped), 3-4 Green Onions (to yield ½ cup finely chopped), 1 tbs + 1 tsp homemade Creole seasoning, 4-5 garlic cloves, peeled, 3/4 lb small raw shrimp, peeled & deveined, 1/3 loaf, day old French or Italian Bread sliced (for breadcrumbs), 1-1/2 tsp salt, ¼ cup evaporated milk
Crumb Topping: 1/2 Cup homemade bread crumbs, 3 tbs Grano Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese & 2 tbs unsalted butter
Preheat the oven to 300 deg F
Mirlitons: Place the mirlitons in a pot of water to soak completely. Add 1 tbs salt and cook on medium-high heat. Cover the pot with a lid leaving a small gap, allowing the steam to escape and cook for approx 40 minutes or until completely tender when pierces with a knife.
Line small baking pan with kitchen paper towels. Once cool enough to handle, cut the mirlitons lengthwise in half. Using a butter knife or teaspoon, scoop away the seeds.
Using a teaspoon, very gently scrape away at the flesh leaving a ½” shell. Allow the cooked squash to rest on the paper towels so the excess moisture can be absorbed.
Leave the shells alone. Chop up the scooped up meat only and set aside for the filling.
While the mirlitons are cooking, prep remaining ingredients,
Shrimp: Marinate the shrimp with 1 tbs Creole seasoning.
Bread: Cut into ½” thick slices and line a baking pan or tray. Toast for 10 minutes in a preheated oven. Turn over and toast for another 5 minutes on the other side. Cool for a few minutes and process into bread crumbs. You will need 1 cup breadcrumbs for this dish.
Raise the oven temperature to 350 deg F.
Onions: Peel, discard ends and finely chop.
Green onions: Cut the woody bottom and discard. Chop into circles and set aside.
Celery: Cut and discard 2” bottom and brown top and leaves if any. Cut into long thin strips and finely chop.
Garlic: Crush and chop. Set aside.
In a large cast iron skillet, add the olive oil and unsalted butter and melt over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery, garlic and bell pepper along with 1 tsp salt. Saute for approx. 10 minutes or so until softened. Add the chopped up mirlitons and continue to sauté for a few minutes evaporating excess moisture.
Add 1 tsp creole seasoning and stir to combine.
Add the green onions & shrimp and sauté only until the shrimp turn pink. Add 1/4 evaporated milk and ½ cup homemade breadcrumbs. Stir to combine. The mixture should be thick, yet moist, and it should hold together. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Place the mirliton shells in a 9” x 12” baking dish.
Topping: Melt 2 tbs butter in a microwave safe bowl. Add ½ cup homemade breadcrumbs and aged shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
Spoon the stuffing amongst the 8 mirliton shells and sprinkle evenly with the crumb-cheese topping. Place in the hot oven for approx. 25 minutes or so until hot and the topping is beautiful golden brown.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Creole seasoning
Place these ingredients in an air-tight, dry, glass jar. Screw lid tightly, shake thoroughly to combine & use in recipes.
· 4 tbs paprika
· 3 tbs granulated garlic
· 2 tbs onion powder
· 1 tbs ground black pepper
· 2 tbs cayenne pepper
· 1 tbs dried thyme leaves
· 1 tbs dried oregano
· 1 tbs dried basil
· 2 tbs salt
Recipe for
Shrimp Stuffed Mirlitons (Mah-lee-tons)
Shopping list:
4 large Mirlitons a.k.a. chayote squash
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs olive oil
large yellow onion (to yield 1-1/2 cups, finely chopped)
Celery (to yield 1 cup, finely chopped)
Small green bell pepper (to yield 1/2 cup, finely chopped)
3-4 Green Onions (to yield ½ cup finely chopped)
1 tbs + 1 tsp homemade Creole seasoning
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 lb small raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/3 loaf, day old French or Italian Bread sliced (for breadcrumbs)
1-1/2 tsp salt
¼ cup evaporated milk
Crumb Topping:
1/2 Cup homemade bread crumbs
3 tbs Grano Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tbs unsalted butter
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 300 deg F
Shrimp: Marinate the shrimp with 1 tbs Creole seasoning.
Mirlitons: Place the mirlitons in a pot of water to soak completely. Add 1 tbs salt and cook on medium-high heat. Cover the pot with a lid leaving a small gap, allowing the steam to escape and cook for approx 40 minutes or until completely tender when pierces with a knife.
Line small baking pan with kitchen paper towels. Once cool enough to handle, cut the mirlitons lengthwise in half. Using a butter knife or teaspoon, scoop away the seeds.
Using a teaspoon, very gently scrape away at the flesh leaving a ½” shell. Allow the cooked squash to rest on the paper towels so the excess moisture can be absorbed.
Leave the shells alone. Chop up the scooped up meat only and set aside for the filling.
While the mirlitons are cooking, prep remaining ingredients,
Bread: Cut into ½” thick slices and line a baking pan or tray. Toast for 10 minutes in a preheated oven. Turn over and toast for another 5 minutes on the other side. Cool for a few minutes and process into bread crumbs. You will need 1 cup breadcrumbs for this dish.
Raise the oven temperature to 350 deg F.
Onions: Peel, discard ends and finely chop.
Green onions: Cut the woody bottom and discard. Chop into circles and set aside.
Celery: Cut and discard 2” bottom and brown top and leaves if any. Cut into long thin strips and finely chop.
Garlic: Crush and chop. Set aside.
Method:
In a large cast iron skillet, add the olive oil and unsalted butter and melt over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery, garlic and bell pepper along with 1 tsp salt. Saute for approx. 10 minutes or so until softened. Add the chopped up mirlitons and continue to sauté for a few minutes evaporating excess moisture.
Add 1 tsp creole seasoning, green onions& shrimp and sauté only until the shrimp turn pink.
Add 1/4 evaporated milk and ½ cup homemade breadcrumbs. Stir to combine. The mixture should be thick, yet moist, and it should hold together. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Topping: Melt 2 tbs butter in a microwave safe bowl. Add ½ cup homemade breadcrumbs and aged shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
Place the mirliton shells in a 9” x 12” baking dish.
Spoon the stuffing amongst the 8 mirliton shells and sprinkle evenly with the crumb-cheese topping. Place in the hot oven for approx. 25 minutes or so until hot and the topping is beautiful golden brown.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Creole seasoning
Place these ingredients in an air-tight, dry, glass jar. Screw lid tightly, shake thoroughly to combine & use in recipes.
· 4 tbs paprika
· 3 tbs granulated garlic
· 2 tbs onion powder
· 1 tbs ground black pepper
· 2 tbs cayenne pepper
· 1 tbs dried thyme leaves
· 1 tbs dried oregano
· 1 tbs dried basil
· 2 tbs salt
