Cooking Stuffed Mirlitons
A Southern favorite
My mother was known for “putting up” okra, maque choux, figs, pears and pickled anything, but her favorite was mirlitons (she called them “mellie-tons”). Around this time of year, she headed out in search of these for her final “putting up” for the summer. Although they were often available in grocery stores, she wanted ones that were homegrown. I never understood why she didn’t have her own vine. In a few days, she had gathered enough from family members and friends to make pickled mirlitons to put in her martini or to serve as snacks.
Our local mirliton was also known as chayote, christophine, vegetable pear, chocho or chuchu. Mama sometimes referred to them as alligator pears because of their prickly, ridged skin, although there are some that are smooth skinned and deeper green than those we have in South Louisiana.
My preferred preparation was her stuffed mirlitons, which can be offered as a first course or the main part of a menu.
STARTER | Stuffed Mirlitons
4 medium mirlitons
½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ cup chopped celery
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1½ cups cubed bread
1 egg
1 pound shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined (or 1 pound chopped ham)
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Buttered dried bread crumbs
1. Wash and cut mirlitons in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds and discard. Cover with cold water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from water and allow to cool until they are easy enough to handle. Carefully scoop out pulp, leaving skin intact. Set aside.
2. Chop mirliton pulp. Soak bread in a little water or milk until soft, then squeeze out liquid. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and celery and sauté until they are soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add pulp, bread and egg and season with salt and cayenne. Add shrimp, or ham, and cheese. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly and stuff into mirliton shells.
3. Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 8 servings
MAIN DISH | Broiled Trout With Lemon Butter
6 trout (or any firm white fish) filets, each about 8 ounces
Salt and cayenne, to taste
1 stick butter, melted and clarified
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Minced fresh flat leaf parsley
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Season fish with salt and cayenne and place them in a shallow baking dish. Combine butter, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over fish. Broil for about 5 minutes, then turn fish over with a spatula. Scatter onion slices evenly over fish and broil for about 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with pan juices and garnish with parsley. Makes 6 servings
DESSERT | Peach Cobbler
Filling
8 cups sliced fresh peaches
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon almond extract
Pastry
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup shortening
6-8 tablespoons ice water
1. Filling: Dredge peaches in flour and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon, water, butter and almond extract. Toss gently to coat evenly. Set aside.
2. Roll three-fourths of pastry to one-eighth-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Fit pastry into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spoon peach mixture onto pastry.
3. Roll remaining pastry out to one-fourth-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into one-half-inch strips and arrange in a lattice fashion over peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
4. Pastry: Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle ice water evenly over surface and stir with a fork until blended. Form dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling out. Makes about 8 servings
