Cajun Mirliton Casserole

Step 1

Set the oven to 350°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat—you'll see rolling bubbles breaking the surface continuously.

Step 3

Place the 4 whole mirlitons in the boiling water and cook for 12–15 minutes until a fork pierces the flesh easily with no resistance.

Step 4

Remove the mirlitons from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes until you can handle them safely.

Step 5

Once cool enough to hold, cut each mirliton lengthwise from top to bottom into two equal halves.

Step 6

Using a melon baller or small spoon, scoop out the center pit from each mirliton half, then scoop out the soft flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch border inside the skin—like hollowing out a canoe.

Step 7

Chop the scooped mirliton flesh into 1/4-inch cubes by first cutting lengthwise into strips, then cutting across into small pieces.

Step 8

Cut the yellow onion in half lengthwise from root to tip, place flat-side down on the cutting board, and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces.

Step 9

Place each celery stalk on the cutting board and slice straight across into 1/4-inch-thick pieces, about the width of a pencil.

Step 10

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it stops foaming and looks clear, about 2 minutes.

Step 11

Add the chopped onion and celery pieces to the skillet and stir every 30 seconds until the onion becomes soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.

Step 12

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour over the onion mixture and stir constantly for 1 minute until the flour is completely coated in butter and no dry spots remain.

Step 13

Slowly pour in 1.5 cups of milk while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps from forming, about 2 minutes.

Step 14

Continue stirring over medium heat until the sauce thickens enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a brief gap that slowly closes, about 3–4 minutes.

Step 15

Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chopped mirliton cubes, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme until fully combined.

Step 16

Taste the mixture and add a pinch of salt and black pepper if needed—it should taste richly seasoned with a gentle heat from the cayenne.

Step 17

Arrange the 8 mirliton shell halves in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, skin-side down and hollow-side up, like boats ready to be filled.

Step 18

Spoon the creamy mirliton mixture evenly into each shell half, filling them completely so the filling mounds slightly above the rim.

Step 19

In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs and 3 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley together until the parsley is evenly distributed throughout.

Step 20

Sprinkle the breadcrumb-parsley mixture evenly over the top of each filled mirliton half, covering the filling completely.

Step 21

Place the baking dish in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until the breadcrumb topping turns the color of warm honey and feels crispy when you tap it with a spoon.

Step 22

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest on the counter for 5 minutes before serving—this helps the filling set slightly and makes each half easier to handle.