Choko

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Choko

I have to confess it's a new one on me. It seems that both the fruit and the tuber can be eaten. It is alternatively known as Chayote, and is a member of the cucumber, squash and melon family. Its tuberous and edible root is modem as chinchayote or chayotextle in Mexico and ichintal or güisquil in El Salvador, Guatemala and Venezuela which I guess makes it a south American vegetable.

So when I spied it in the supermarket last weekend, I picked one up.
I don't know what I'm expecting, but I wasn't expecting a single seed inside for starters (like a mango)... Nor was I expecting to be able to slice through the seed.

So what to do with it? My original plan had been in the ratatouille but hubby wasn't interested and I was busy elsewhere. Our weekend had been rather busier than hoped for. So I've chopped it up and put it into a dish we know as "pea and rice" which is what it is technically. I thought it might at some volume to the dish. I'll let you know what we think of it.

 

[medtran49]

You can eat the seed. It's crunchy and has a nice flavor. Chayote is also known as a mirliton.

One way we use it is chopped same size as frozen defrosted corn kernels, then both sauteed in a bit of olive oil, s and p, and a bit of dried oregano if desired.

 

[Morning Glory]

This came up somewhere else recently - I remember looking it up on-line as I wasn't sure what it was either. What kind of flavour does it have?

 

[medtran49]

They don't have a strong flavor, crunchy, kind of cucumbery, with maybe a tiny bit of apple flavor thrown in. It's hard to describe. They are used a lot in Southwest, as well as Cajun/Creole cooking in the States. One of our favorite Creole dishes is stuffed mirlitons with a seafood butter cream sauce.

 

[buckytom]

I've had it sliced into thin pieces and pickled 2 ways: in a tart vinegar pickle with sliced carrots, sort of like a gardiniere, and a Korean pickle that is spicy with gochugaru and garlic, and it's alao a little sweet.

 

[Morning Glory]

One of our favorite Creole dishes is stuffed mirlitons with a seafood butter cream sauce.

That sounds delightful. What are they stuffed with?

 

[medtran49]

That sounds delightful. What are they stuffed with?

The trinity, chopped up mirliton from hollowing them out to make shells, breadcrumbs, butter and various spices. The butter cream sauce has the seafood in it, crab and/or shrimp, and goes over the top. This is a more Creole style (town) dish. SIL's aunt makes something very similar into a casserole, which is more of a Cajun (country) dish.