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Seafood Stuffed Bell Peppers

These seafood stuffed bell peppers are filled with blackened shrimp, crawfish boudin, and pepper jack cheese, then baked and topped with a rich Parmesan cream sauce. A Louisiana classic.

Ingredients
  

The Peppers and Filling
  • 4 to 5 large bell peppers tops cut off, seeds and veins removed
  • 1 lb crawfish boudin removed from casing
  • 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 block pepper jack cheese shredded
  • 1 to 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional: breadcrumbs or extra pepper jack for topping
The Parmesan Cream Sauce
  • Pan drippings from the blackened shrimp
  • 2 to 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and veins. Lightly coat the outside and inside of each pepper with olive oil and place upright in a baking dish.
  2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until blackened and cooked through. Remove the shrimp and reserve all the pan drippings for the cream sauce.
  3. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a cutting board and chop into 1/4-inch bite-size pieces.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the chopped blackened shrimp, crawfish boudin (removed from casing), and shredded pepper jack cheese. Mix well until evenly combined.
  5. Fill each bell pepper generously with the seafood mixture, packing it in firmly. Top with breadcrumbs or extra pepper jack if desired.
  6. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes until the peppers are fork-tender.
  7. While the peppers bake, make the cream sauce. In the same skillet used for the shrimp, pour in the heavy whipping cream and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened and smooth.
  8. Place a stuffed pepper on each plate and spoon the Parmesan cream sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately.