Has anyone every tried Chayote?

[Mamasue]

I picked one up at the supermarket this weekend and asked the produce man what it was. He said that it was a summer squash but didn't know how to cook it. So, I just boiled it and drizzled butter with salt and pepper. We found it good.....a little milder than yellow summer squash. I would buy it again and maybe mix with yellow summer squash and zucchini. Has anyone ever tried this vegetable and know any other ways to cook it? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[funnybone]

I have never tried it, but found this in "Cook's Thesauraus" for info:

chayote = cho-cho = chocho = christophene = christophine = chuchu = mango squash = mirliton (in the South) = pear squash = vegetable pear = sousous = choko = custard marrow = pepinella = pepinello = xuxu = xoxo

Pronunciation: chi-YOH-tay or chi-YOH-tee

Notes: This mild-flavored squash looks like a wrinkled, pale green pear. It needs to be cooked before serving, and for a longer time than other summer squash. You should peel a chayote before cooking it, but don't take the seed out--it's edible and tasty. Cooked chayotes make good low-fat substitutes for avocados.

Substitutes: zucchini (stonger flavor, cooks more quickly) OR kohlrabi OR other summer squash OR carrots OR bell peppers (for stuffing)

[Gail]

Hi Sue!

Remember my old thread about International Recipes? Vanessa posted a recipe there for sutffed chayotes, Puerto Rican style.
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Archives/Archive-000002/HTML/20000711-1-000017.html

PS Where has the smilie site gone now? Seems to move constantly.

[Mamasue]

funnybone....thanks for the feedback on Chayote. I should have asked before I prepared it....oh thats okay. I didn't peel the squash and took the seed out. I just cut it up in small chunks and boiled it. It did take longer to cook as the Cook's Thesauraus states. I never think about checking out the Cook's Thesauraus.

Gail....thank you so much for posting the link of Vanessa's recipe. I will go there now and check it out. We enjoyed the mild taste and will buy this squash again. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Yes, I noticed that site is gone too! It sometimes happens...I will bookmark a site and go back some time later to find it gone. Evedently, the website has been taken off the web or moved to another domain. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif Don't worry I am sure there are others out there!

[This message has been edited by Mamasue (edited 05-27-2001).]

[crlykat]

How funny, I read this post yesterday (having no idea what chayote was) and then when we went to dinner, my entree came with chayote. My husband asked me what it was and I was able to sound very smart about the whole thing!
Since you asked about recipe ideas, I'll tell you about my entree; maybe that will get the creative juices going for you. I had tequila grilled chile rubbed salmon served over smashed red potatoes and lots of sauteed chayote slices all around the fish. The sauce soaked into the chayote and it made a great, slightly crunchy, accompaniment.

[makedah]

This is so funny. I just saw my first chayote today.

Who knew? I have heard Emeril talk about mirlitons all the time. And I have a Rastafarian cookbook here (they're vegans, by the way) that mentions cho chos. It has recipes for Pumpkin and Cho Cho Soup and Ital Soup (which contains 1 chayote). It also has listed a recipe for steamed cho cho, but doesn't actually HAVE the recipe! D'oh! If anyone is interested in either of these recipes, I can post.

I LOVE yellow squash, so I will definitely buy one of those chayotes tomorrow.

[Vanessa]

Hi Sue I love chayotes.
You can use them for a refreshing salad
4 medium chayotes 1 6-ounce jar pimientos, drained and diced
1 Peel the chayotes and cut each into 4 pieces. Boil in enough salted water to cover until tender. Let cool at room temperature. Add one of the dressings and toss gently.
Cilantro Vinaigrette: 3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, salt and black pepper to taste.
Sherry Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 cup olive oil, salt and black pepper to taste.
Citrus Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons fresh orange peel, 1 cup olive oil, salt and black pepper to taste.
Tomato and Basil Dressing: 2 tomatoes, chopped, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1 cup olive oil.
Like Gail mentioned I also use chayotes for stuffing.The flavor of chayotes is very mild. At home chayotes are quite big sometimes, but I have not seen them as big here.

[makedah]

Question: The cho chos I saw were smooth, not wrinkled. Does this mean that they are underripe? Should I wait for them to ripen, ripen them at home or just eat as is?

[Terrytx]

I have had it several times, it is the only squash my DH will eat. He doesn't know it is a squash, so I will not tell. Most of the dishes I have used it in are southwestern and cheesy.

[andrea]

believe it or not, there is a New Orleans Mirliton Festival!!!
i know they used to have a festival cookbook. try the web!

[This message has been edited by andrea (edited 05-29-2001).]

[funnybone]

I actually found some in the grocery store (without looking) for it and bought some. Hmm, now what to do with it.

[Shirley Panek]

Funnybone -

How about making April's Crawfish-Stuffed Mirlitons. The description under the recipe title says, "Mirlitons, also known as chayontes, are pear-shaped squashes with light green skin and mild pulp. Serve as an appetizer or side dish.

The picture looks delicious. I think I might have to see if my store carries them. Now, if only I could find crawfish ... :)

[funnybone]

Well, no crawfish available here. I did find several recipes in Epicurious though, so I will use them up somehow. Thanks anyhow.

[Shirley Panek]

Maybe substitue small shrimp? If I can't find them, that's what I'm going to do, I think.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to make.

[MishT]

Chayote in Noodles soup

cut up chayote
onion, sliced
garlic, minced
wheat flour noodles, the opaque white color.

Fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes. add water. season it with salt & pepper. add chayote. let it boil until the chayote softens a little bit. Then add the noodles a little bit(coz this noodles will expand so just add a little).

Sometimes I add carrots in it too. It is a vegetable soup but really taste good. sometimes use chicken boullion instead of salt and pepper.

[dianer]

We were removing non native plant species from an area to allow native plants to restablish themselves and found a vine with lots of them ready to pick. I took it back and added it to a sweet and sour with pork and pinapple (or was it chicken?). Sorry I don't recall now. Anyway it was served with white rice and I liked both the taste and texture it added. No recipe, I was just winging it. Everyone ate it up.

[jnelson]

I discovered them while performing a search for a pork crown roast recipe on foodtv.com. The recipe from Emeril's show came with Merliton stuffing. I added it to the menu and it was very good. It was a cajun bread stuffing with chopped merlitons. I intended to buy some more to serve as a vegetable, but forgot. Thanks for reminding me.

[funnybone]

I have decided to try two recipes (both from www.foodtv.com ) - will let you know how they are.

Chayote Salad

Recipe courtesy Cheryl Smith

6 Chayote (a.k.a. Chocho, or Christophine), peeled and thinly sliced
2 yellow peppers, julienned
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup peanut or vegetable oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste


Toss together in a bowl. Turn out onto a platter and sprinkle with more salt and pepper.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time:



Chayote Squash Over Pasta

Recipe courtesy of Curtis Aikens

1 Chayote squash
1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups cooked pasta
Curtis's Pepper Seasoning to taste

Peel Chayote, slice in two and remove seed. Slice into strips. Saute in 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil, with garlic and onion. Serve over pasta.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes