Green pear-shaped squash called mirliton in New Orleans. Stuffed with shrimp and crab for Thanksgiving. The Black Creole contribution to the Louisiana table.
In New Orleans Black households, mirliton dressing on the Thanksgiving table is as load-bearing as the turkey. It is not optional. Families have been growing mirliton vines on back fences in the Seventh Ward and Treme for over a century. The fruit grows abundantly — one vine can produce 50-100 fruits in a season — and was shared freely through the neighborhood. Mirliton is community infrastructure.
Chayote is low glycemic index (GI ~28) with high water content and soluble fiber — a combination that blunts postprandial glucose spikes and extends satiety. Folate content is significant — 1 cup provides 47mcg (12% DV), relevant to Black women of reproductive age given disparities in neural tube defect rates. Potassium supports blood pressure regulation. The flesh and skin both deliver nutrients — do not peel before cooking.
Mirliton dressing: halve mirlitons, boil until tender (20-25 min), scoop flesh; sauté with trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper), garlic, shrimp, and crabmeat; mix with seasoned breadcrumbs and mirliton flesh; stuff shells; bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until golden. Stewed: dice and cook with tomatoes, onion, and Creole seasoning; eat over rice.
Free, no account needed to ask.