Chayote at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market
This squash-gourd has been used since the time of the Aztecs. The word for chayote is Spanish, borrowed from the Nahuatl word chayotli.It also is called sayote, tayota, choko, chow-chow, christophene, mirliton, alligator pear and vegetable pear. Reference, Wikipedia
It can be eaten raw as well as cooked. When cooked, it is best prepared like a summer squash. When raw, it works well in salads or salsas. Try using it diced very small in an escabeche of seafood to add a nice crunch
Chef Michel Richard, know as "Captain Crunch", served a katafi crusted shrimp on a slaw made from chayote.
Chefs M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger scoop the flesh out and stuff the squash with mushrooms, chayote, tomatoes, herbs and garlic and bake it with a parmesan topping.
Here are a few more ideas to try.
Saute onions and garlic , add sliced squash, season and cook a few minutes add a little cream and reduce until it coast the chayote.
Peel the chayote and make a julienne. Mix with aioli. Top with grilled chicken breast marinated in chilies and cilantro.
Mixed diced chayote with grilled corn off the cob, cooked penquito beans and diced tomatoes tossed with a garlic and herb vinaigrette. Serve with corn tortillas and maybe a few grilled shrimp.
Here is a version of ratatouille from cooks.com.
SONORAN RATATOUILLE
Printed from COOKS.COM
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. red onion, fine dice
1 tsp. garlic, minced fine
1 tbsp. red bell pepper, fine dice
1 tbsp. yellow bell pepper, fine dice
1 tbsp. green bell pepper, fine dice
3 tbsp. chayote squash, peeled, fine dice
1/4 c. zucchini, fine dice
1/4 c. eggplant, fine dice
1/4 c. yellow squash, fine dice
1 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. jicama, peeled, fine dice
3 tbsp. corn, cut off cob, then blanched
3 tbsp. black beans, rinse in cold water (recipe to follow)
2 tbsp. chicken stock
1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste.
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onions and cook for a minute. Add the three types of bell peppers and the garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Add all of the squashes and the eggplant. Cook for a few minutes stirring frequently. Push aside the ingredients added so far to expose a small area of the saute pan; add the tomato paste around in the small exposed space. Add the jicama, corn and black beans and mix all ingredients together until well heated. Add the chicken stock and cilantro. Cook until all vegetables are cooked well but still slightly crisp. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Tastefully yours,
Chef Michael Hutchings
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