As we know, a Cajun Thanksgiving is so different than a regular Thanksgiving. It’s all about the food and the people. Typically, a Thanksgiving table in Louisiana is overflowing with food. Even though today is Halloween, we all know that it is time to start planning the spread of food now!

Slap Ya Mama wants you to have the best time cooking this year, so here is a Louisiana favorite: Seafood stuffed mirlitons!

Seafood Stuffed Mirlitons

• 6 mirlitons
• olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• Slap Ya Mama seasoning
• 1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup shrimp stock
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350º F.
• Choose a firm mirliton. In a pot, bring about 2 inches of salted water to a boil. Add the mirliton, cover, and reduce heat and simmer until they are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pot and allow to cool. Then cut the mirliton in half and remove the seeds. Scoop out the flesh keeping the shell intact. Chop the flesh and set aside.
• Heat a tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables, the chopped flesh, the bay leaf, shrimp stock and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the any liquid in the skillet evaporates, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and peppers. When the vegetables are very tender, increase the heat to medium-high, add the shrimp, and cook until the shrimp are pink and firm. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaf. Add the crabmeat and stir gently to mix. Adjust seasoning.
• Spoon the mixture into the mirliton shells, dust the top with the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, and bake until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
• You can use eggplant, zucchini or squash as well!  Adjust the boiling time for the vegetables according to the size of the vegetable. Zucchini may take only about 5 minutes. Be sure to salt the eggplant after it has been scooped out of the shell, and let drain for an hour before cooking. The salt will draw out any bitterness in the eggplant. After an hour, rinse, pat dry and continue.