If you want to liven up your holiday party try one of my favorite casseroles. While most of your guests may never heard of Chayote before they will never forget how great it tastes. A common theme at all holiday parties is to bring a new and unique dish that will amaze and please your guests. Once you have used Chayote squash and have discovered its great ability to absorb the flavors of the ingredients it is combined with to present a new and unique taste with each dish you will find a new place in your menus for it.
Chayote is also called mirliton, vegetable pear and other names in other countries, such as guisquil in Guatemala, where I first learned to use this squash. It is a relatively flavorless fruit, generally used as a vegetable. Similar to zucchini, its lack of specific flavor makes it an excellent choice to mix with other more flavorful ingredients. It is excellent as a side dish, and can even be made into a dessert. This is one very savory way I like making this into a side dish for my family.
Chayote and Goat Cheese Casserole
3 chayote squash, halved, cored, peeled and sliced thinly
4 ounces mild goat cheese
1/4 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons green peppercorns in brine
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter or spray with cooking spray an 8 inch square or 7 x 11 inch casserole dish. Place half the squash slices into the bottom of the pan, evenly. Sprinkle on half the onion slices, then one tablespoon of the flour, 1 teaspoon of the green peppercorns, drained, and half the goat cheese, crumbled. Place the rest of the chayote slices evenly over the first layer, repeating with the rest of the flour, onion, peppercorns and goat cheese.
In a bowl, combine the milk and sour cream with a whisk. Whisk in the salt and white pepper. Pour over the casserole. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 45 minutes more, until the squash is tender. Makes 6 servings.
Chayote squash grow on a vine. They are easily grown by planting the entire fruit, which will need a support for the vine to climb. It is from the cucurbita family as are pumpkins, gourds and other squash. Grow your own and have a bounty of this lesser used fruit for your family and friends. A wonderful filler food, it can be added to soups, stews, or mixed with potatoes in a dish or casserole. The squash may also be used in place of potatoes in your favorite scalloped potato dish, reducing the high carb load of the potatoes.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.