Seafood-Stuffed Mirlitons
 
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 medium mirlitons*, halved
  • ⅓ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
  • 18 large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (about ½ pound)
  • 1 cup cooked crawfish tails
  • 1 cup crumbled cornbread
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over prepared pan. Place mirlitons, cut side down, on prepared pan.
  3. Bake until mirlitons are tender but not falling apart, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  4. In a medium skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and Creole seasoning; cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add shrimp; cook until just beginning to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add crawfish; cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in cornbread.
  5. Scoop out mirliton flesh, leaving a ¼- to ½-inch-thick shell. Discard seeds, and reserve flesh for another use. Return mirliton shells, cut side up, to pan. Sprinkle shells with salt, and spoon cornbread mixture into shells. Sprinkle with cheese.
  6. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving, if desired.
Notes
*Mirlitons are often sold as chayote squash.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/seafood-stuffed-mirlitons/