The wakame is what gives
the stuffing its seafood taste, so be sure to use it or another type of sea
vegetable.
4 mirlitons (aka Chayote or
Chouchou)
1 package (about 14 oz.) firm (not silken) tofu
1/2 cup minced celery (use a food processor to chop all vegetables quickly)
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, minced
1/2 green pepper, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 slices whole wheat bread, whirled to crumbs in blender
1-2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning or use Creole seasoning to taste
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons wakame or other sea vegetable
2 teaspoons corn starch
salt and pepper to taste
panko or other toasted bread crumbs (about 1/2 cup)
In a large pot of boiling water, cook the mirlitons until they are tender, about
35-45 minutes. Remove from the water and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Once the mirlitons are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise
(cutting through the widest side) and remove the seed. Use a grapefruit spoon or
melon baller to remove the flesh from the center; be sure to keep the shell
about 1/4-inch thick on all sides.
In a large bowl, mash the mirliton pulp and set it aside. Mash the tofu and add
it to the mirliton pulp.
In a non-stick skillet lightly sprayed with olive oil, sauté the onion until it
begins to brown. Add the celery, carrot, and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes.
Add the sautéed vegetables to the tofu-mirliton mixture. Stir in the parsley,
breadcrumbs, Old Bay seasoning, wakame (sea vegetable), and corn starch. Add
salt to taste.
Sprinkle the mirliton shells with salt and pepper, if desired, and stuff them
with the tofu mixture, piling the mixture above the top of each mirliton.
Sprinkle the tops with panko or dried bread crumbs, pressing it in lightly.
Place them in a large baking dish and put them in the oven. Bake for about 30-40
minutes, until tops are lightly browned.
Serve with tartar sauce or spicy cocktail sauce. (Tartar sauce is easily made
with vegan mayo and sweet relish; make cocktail sauce using ketchup, prepared
horseradish, and hot sauce, to taste.)
Makes 4 servings, two stuffed halves each. Each
serving contains 234 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (21% calories from fat); 14g
Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 276mg Sodium; 7g Fiber.