The Other Vegetable Dish (or What to Do with Chayote)
This is for you, Rebecca, owing to your previous experiences with chayote in Mexico and Guatemala. We had it for dinner tonight (25 March 1999) with some other foods and it really is very tasty. Chayote reminds me more of a green watermelon than it does of squash, but then it is an odd sort of squash ....
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon Habañero or Rocoto chile, minced
2 cloves Italian garlic, minced
1 medium chayote, peeled, cored and sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
2 large dried basil leaves, crushed
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Heat olive oil in sauté pan, adding chiles and garlic. When aroma is making you want to sneeze, add chayote squash and a little salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. After about 15 minutes, add cream and ensure vegetables are lightly simmering. When chayote are coated with cream, add cheese, basil, and chives, stir well to incorporate, then serve.
Yummy!