Baked Mirliton Squash with Shrimp Stuffing
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Water
  • 2 large mirliton squash, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ stick butter
  • ½ cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons diced green onion tops
  • 2 tablespoons diced green bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup chopped tasso or smoked ham
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chopped shrimp
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs, plus extra
  • 1 cup chicken stock, plus more if needed
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • Dash of hot sauce
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 teaspoons melted butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
  2. In a pot of boiling water, add the mirliton halves. Cook until tender when pierced with a skewer, about 20 minutes. Remove, dry and let cool. With a teaspoon, remove the seed and carefully scoop out the inner pulp of the mirliton without puncturing the skin. Chop the pulp and reserve for later. Move the hollowed out “shells” to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.
  3. In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter. Add the onions, celery, green onion tops, bell pepper, garlic, and parsley. Cook until the onions turn translucent and add the tasso. Lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the mirliton pulp, shrimp and lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with cayenne, white pepper, and a dash of hot sauce. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Add the breadcrumbs and slowly pour in the stock while stirring. As the breadcrumbs absorb the liquid, the stuffing should become moist, but not runny. Add more stock to achieve a moist stuffing consistency.
  4. On a parchment-lined baking tray, add the mirliton shells and spoon in a generous mound of the stuffing. Top with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs along with a teaspoon of melted butter and cover with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes until browned. Serve as a side dish or with a salad as a main course.
Notes
A casserole version of this recipe is a popular holiday dish in Louisiana. In addition to shrimp, I’ve made this stuffing with crawfish tails and with crabmeat – all good. The key to a good stuffing is enough moisture to keep the breadcrumbs from drying out. Any leftovers are just as good microwaved the next day.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://acadianatable.com/2024/12/23/baked-mirliton-squash-with-shrimp-stuffing-cookbook/