Grilled Chayote Recipes

PORK STEAKS WITH HOMEMADE BARBECUE SAUCE, TEXAS STYLE YUKON GOLD POTATO FRITES, AND GRILLED CHAYOTE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in skillet. Add the salt pork and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove the salt pork and set aside. Add in the onion and shallot and cook until translucent. Add in the garlic, ginger, and ancho powder and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add in the beer, cook 5 minutes. Add in all other ingredients except 1 cup of chicken broth. Simmer for 15 minutes. If the sauce seems too thick, thin with the reserved chicken broth. Crumble the salt pork into the sauce. Set aside and wait for pork to grill. Season pork steaks with salt, pepper. Place on a medium-high grill and sear, 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the steaks and dip in homemade BBQ sauce. Place back on the grill for 2 to 3 minutes, turning and basting to let the sauce caramelize on the pork steaks. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with Yukon Gold Frites and Grilled Chayote and Tomatoes.
• Yukon Gold Frites: Thinly slice potatoes lengthwise to form a traditional thin chip. Toss into a hot pot of good frying oil (canola or peanut). Fry until partially cooked. Remove from oil and let drain on a paper-towel covered plate. Sprinkle with a homemade Texas-style dry rub spice (sea salt, white pepper, celery salt, ground cumin, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, lemon zest, cayenne pepper and dry mustard). Toss chips on a hot grill and cook through until brown, crispy, with nice grill marks. Serve with Chipotle Aioli to dip.
• Grilled Chayote: Slice 1 to 2 chayote lengthwise like the potatoes. Brush each side with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Cook on a medium-high grill turning frequently to make crisscross marks on both sides. When fork-tender, remove from grill and season again.
• Grilled Roma Tomatoes: Slice 2 Roma tomatoes in half; core the center to remove seeds and to make a pocket. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush with olive oil. Fill pockets with pesto, about 2 tablespoons each, and sprinkle on some grated Parmesan. Grill tomatoes until tender but not falling apart, about 5 minutes if grill is very hot. Sprinkle with a bit more grated Parmesan, and serve.
• Whisk all ingredients together.

GRILLED CHAYOTE

Steps:

• To grill Chayote, slice in 1/4 inch thick slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let sit for a while and grill at high heat until almost tender.
• It still should be a little crunchy. Drizzle with hot sauce and serve.

GRILLED TUNA WITH YELLOW MOLE SAUCE AND CHAYOTE SUCCOTASH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan until smoking. Add the tortillas and fry until crisp, remove to a plate. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook until soft. Remove. Add the pumpkin seeds to the pan and cook until golden. Add the stock, peppers, mango, tomatillos and raisins and cook for 30 minutes over medium-high heat. Place the mixture and the fried tortillas in a food processor and process until smooth. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan until smoking. Add the tortillas and fry until crisp, remove to a plate. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook until soft. Remove with Add the pumpkin seeds to the pan and cook until golden. Add the stock, peppers, mango tomatillos and raisins and cook for 30 minutes over medium-high heat. Place the mixture and the fried tortillas in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a clean medium saucepan and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the chocolate, honey, cloves and salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Brush tuna with oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat grill pan over high heat. Sear tuna on both sides for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve rare-medium rare.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub the chayote with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast until just cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove, let cool slightly and slice in half vertically. Scoop out the flesh of the chayote and remove to a plate. Reserve the shells.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the pepper and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes. Add the lima beans and corn and cook an additional 5 minutes. Stir in reserved chayote flesh. Add the butter, lime juice and cilantro and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Scoop the mixture into the roasted chayote shells.

STEWED CHAYOTE

Steps:

• Quarter the chayote.
• Remove and discard the center seed of each.
• Cut into 1/4-inch slices.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the chayote, and boil for 5 minutes.
• Drain.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat.
• Cook the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
• Add the chayote, tomatoes, and water.
• Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Serve immediately.
• NOTE: If you can't locate chayotes (usually found in the tropical or exotic produce section), try using zucchini or cucumbers (yes, cucumbers can be cooked like zucchini).
• These are the closest matches to chayote, taste- and texture-wise.

GRILLED CORN SALAD WITH CHAYOTE SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Oil corn, chayote squash, zucchini, and chile peppers; place on a rack for 5 minutes to allow excess oil to drip off.
• Transfer vegetables to the preheated grill and cook until they have a nice brown crust, 10 to 15 minutes. The corn should have some kernels that are close to burning, and the peppers will be expanding and making popping noises. Remove from the grill and allow to cool, about 30 minutes.
• Remove and discard the plastic-like skin from the peppers by scraping the blade of a knife along the outsides. Mince peppers, dice zucchini and chayote, and cut corn kernels off the cobs. Transfer all to a bowl and add onion, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and salt to taste. Add more olive oil if the mixture is dry or if you want the flavor to be more pronounced.

ROASTED CHAYOTES WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Wearing protective gloves, halve chayotes lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel, then cut lengthwise into 1-inch wedges. Toss with oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Divide between 2 large 4-sided sheet pans.
• Roast 30 minutes. Divide garlic between pans, then continue to roast, turning occasionally, until chayotes are golden brown on edges, about 30 minutes more. Season with salt.

ROASTED CHAYOTES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Wearing protective gloves, halve chayotes lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel, then cut lengthwise into 1-inch wedges. Toss with oil and 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Divide between 2 large 4-sided sheet pans.
• Roast 45 minutes. Divide garlic between pans, then continue to roast, turning occasionally, until chayotes are golden brown on edges, about 10 - 15 minutes more. Season with salt.
• Cooks' note:
• Chayotes can be roasted 5 hours ahead and kept, loosely covered with foil, at room temperature. Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven (about 15 minutes).