Shrimp stuffed mirlitons, also known as chayote or vegetable pears, are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a main course or a side dish. The mild flavor of the mirliton pairs perfectly with the savory shrimp filling, and the combination of textures and flavors is sure to please everyone at the table. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or an elegant dish to serve at a special occasion, shrimp stuffed mirlitons are sure to become a new favorite.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
SHRIMP-STUFFED MIRLITON
Mirliton -- also known as chayote -- is a light green, slightly pear-shaped squash that's a staple in Louisiana. This crab and shrimp-stuffed version is a dish often found in restaurants. Go to a specialty supermarket to hunt down the squash and celebrate your next holiday New Orleans style.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 2h15m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the mirliton halves cut-side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add 1 cup of water, cover tightly with foil and bake until soft, cooked through and easily poked with a fork, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.) Scoop out the pulp--making sure to leave a 1/4-inch border all around--then chop the pulp and reserve. Discard the water from the baking dish and return the scooped-out mirliton halves cut-side down.
- Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter with the Cajun seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, garlic, bell pepper, onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and just begin to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the sausage, hot sauce and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the sausage is warmed through and the tomatoes start to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Add the crab, shrimp and reserved mirliton pulp and continue cooking until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Microwave the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small microwave-safe dish until melted, about 30 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs and parsley and stir until well combined.
- Turn each mirliton half over so the cut side is facing up. Stuff each with about 1/2 cup of the crab and shrimp mixture--it will seem like a lot, but that's OK. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the breadcrumbs turn a deep golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with additional hot sauce if desired.
SHRIMP STUFFED MIRLITONS
These Shrimp Stuffed Mirlitons is overflowing with shrimp and other mouth-watering ingredients.
Provided by Kim Seghers
Categories Main Course
Time 1h
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Pour water covering the mirlitons. Add the crab boil. Parboil mirlitons until you can pierce mirlitons with a fork.
- Once mirlitons are done place mirlitons in an ice water bath and let set for 15 minutes or until cool.
- Melt 1/2 stick butter in saucepan and cook shrimp until pink and firm, set aside. Season shrimp with cajun season if you want more spice.
- Saute all the vegetables using remaining 1/2 stick of butter until tender, while the mirlitons are in the ice bath. Place vegetables in a glass bowl and set aside.
- Remove mirlitons from ice bath and carefully slice each mirliton lengthwise.Using a teaspoon, remove seeds.
- Gently scoop all pulp (mirliton meat) out of each shell being careful not to tear the shells and place pulp from mirlitons into a medium size pot.
- Place empty shells onto a cookie sheet.
- Cook pulp from mirlitons on medium heat. Use spoon to chop mirliton pulp and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add veggies, shrimp, and all of your seasoning. Stir well.
- Take saucepan from heat stir in 2 1/2 cups of Italian breadcrumbs. Note- add more breadcrumbs if needed.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Divide mixture into 24 equal portions and stuff into hollowed-out mirliton shells.
- Sprinkle tops with remaining bread crumbs and place on baking sheet and top each mirliton with a pat of butter.
- Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!
SHRIMP-STUFFED MIRLITONS
The mirliton is a pale green squash with an end puckered up like a toothless granny. They are native to Louisiana, but if you grew up eating from certain Latin American culinary canons, you might know them as chayote. In New Orleans, mirliton stuffed with shrimp is a dish both common and fancy. The chef David Guas, who grew up in Louisiana and now runs the Bayou Bakery in Washington, D.C., ate this version at his Granny Lilly's holiday table in Amite, La. His recipe is a version of her original, but with a touch of heat from cayenne pepper as influenced by Justin Wilson, a relative who had a long-running cooking show on New Orleans public television that he punctuated with the tagline "I guaranteeeeee!" Use the freshest shrimp you can find. Something from the Gulf of Mexico would lend authenticity. And be careful scooping the flesh from the mirlitons. The skin is thin and can break easily.
Provided by Kim Severson
Categories dinner, lunch, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 6 entree or 12 side dish servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Cut mirlitons in half and scoop out the large seed in the middle. Boil in salted water to cover for 25 minutes, or until tender when punctured with the tines of a fork. Be careful not to overcook.
- Drain and cool for 15 minutes, then scrape out insides into a colander to drain. Leave 1/4 inch of flesh inside shell, being careful not to puncture skin.
- Chop drained mirliton flesh and add to a medium bowl. Mix in butter, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup bread crumbs; set aside.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a medium saucepan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and celery and sauté until almost translucent. Add garlic, green onion and tomatoes for just about 2 minutes. Add shrimp for 30 seconds to give them a touch of color. Quickly remove pan from heat and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes to cool slightly. Fold sautéed ingredients into mirliton mixture.
- Scoop stuffing mixture into each mirliton half. Place mirliton in an oven-safe 1 1/2-inch deep pan. You may need two pans. Dust top of each mirliton evenly with remaining bread crumbs. Pour stock into pans to a half-inch depth, before covering and baking. Cover pans tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 309, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 59 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 14 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 1346 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
SHRIMP STUFFED MIRLITONS (NOLA CUISINE)
I LOVE CHAYOTES!!! So finding this creole recipe using chayotes was a welcome surprise. Mirlitons (chayotes) grow in abundance in southern Louisiana. This version is stuffed with shrimp and sounds absolutely delicious - can't wait to try them!
Provided by Jostlori
Categories Vegetable
Time 1h30m
Yield 2 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Cut the Mirlitons in half lengthwise, remove the seeds.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt as you would pasta water. Add a few Bay leaves and a bundle of fresh Thyme. When the water comes to a boil add the mirliton halves, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until tender. Cool.
- When the mirlitons are cool scoop out most of the pulp, leaving a shell about 1/2 inch thick. Dry the shells by patting with a paper towel. Reserve 1/2 of the the pulp and drain on paper towels, as they hold a lot of water. When dry, chop.
- In a large cast iron skillet melt the unsalted butter over medium heat, when hot add the andouille. Cook stirring often until slightly browned.
- Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and the creole seasoning, cook for 8- 10 minutes stirring often until the onions start to carmelize and the vegetables are soft.
- Add the garlic, Mirliton flesh and Thyme, cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add the shrimp and green onions and cook until the shrimp turn pink.
- Add 1/2 Cup water (or Shrimp Stock if you have any on hand) and 1 Cup of the bread crumbs. Stir until the mixture comes together. More bread crumbs or water may be needed. The mixture should be thick, yet moist, and it should hold together. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne.
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping.
- Divide the stuffing amongst the 4 mirliton shells and cover with the topping. Place into a 350 degrees oven until hot and the topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1419.7, Fat 49.8, SaturatedFat 26.8, Cholesterol 252.2, Sodium 4277.7, Carbohydrate 186.2, Fiber 13.4, Sugar 16, Protein 59.5
SHRIMP STUFFED MIRLITONS (CHAYOTE OR VEGETABLE PEARS)
Make and share this Shrimp Stuffed Mirlitons (Chayote or Vegetable Pears) recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Molly53
Categories Cheese
Time 1h
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Parboil mirlitons/chayote/vegetable pears until almost tender.
- Cut in half and scoop out the meat; mash and set aside, reserving shells.
- Saute onion and garlic in shortening until translucent; add celery and cook until tender.
- Add mashed mirlitons, shrimp, 1/2 of the cheese, and salt and pepper to the sauteed vegetables.
- Fill the reserved shells, cover with remaining cheese and bread crumbs.
- Bake until crumbs have browned, approximately 30 minutes.
Tips:
- Choose ripe, firm mirlitons that are deep green in color, as they will have the best flavor and texture.
- When preparing the mirlitons, be careful not to cut all the way through the bottom, as you want to keep the shell intact.
- To easily remove the mirliton seeds, scoop them out with a spoon or melon baller.
- If you don't have shrimp on hand, you can substitute another type of seafood, such as crab or lobster.
- For a vegetarian version of this dish, omit the shrimp and add more vegetables to the stuffing, such as bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms.
- Serve the shrimp-stuffed mirlitons immediately, or store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Conclusion:
Shrimp-stuffed mirlitons are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. They are perfect for a special occasion or a casual weeknight meal. With their unique flavor and texture, shrimp-stuffed mirlitons are sure to impress your guests!
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