Roasted Chayote and Red Pepper Salad With Tangerine Dressing

[Guest guest]

Roasted Chayote and Red Pepper Salad With Tangerine Dressing

 

For dressing

2 scallions, chopped

1 fresh serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped

5 tablespoons fresh tangerine juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar

 

2 medium chayotes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeded

2 medium red bell peppers, quartered

2 heads Bibb lettuce, torn into small pieces

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Make dressing:

Whisk together scallions, chile, juice, oil, and vinegar in a large bowl and

season with salt and pepper.

Cut chayote halves lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange in 1 layer

in two thirds of a lightly oiled shallow baking pan. Put bell pepper quarters,

skin sides up, in other third of pan. Roast in middle of oven, uncovered, until

chayote is browned in spots and bell pepper skins are blistered, about 30

minutes. Immediately add chayote to dressing and toss to coat.

Transfer hot bell peppers to a small bowl. Cover and let stand 10 minutes, then

peel. Cut bell peppers into 1/4-inch-thick strips and add to chayote with any

pepper juices accumulated in bowl. Add lettuce and toss to coat.

Makes 4 servings.

 

 

[Guest guest]

I had to look up the word chayote and to my amazement find it's what

we call the choko in Australia. In my childhood (60 years ago) every

garden had choko vines growing over the garden shed or the outside

toilet (unglamorously but affectionately called " the dunny " ) and the

choko helped keep many a family fed during the Great Depression in

the 1930s. Choko chutney used to be a great standby in the Australian

kitchen. Sadly the choko is very much out of fashion now, probably

because many people have bad memories of eating big chokos boiled to

tastelessness. I think it would be quite rare to see a mass of choko

vines growing in suburban backyards these days. On looking on the web

I see several references suggesting that you should look for a heavy

mature fruit but in my experience the younger, more tender ones are

delicious. Thinly sliced, tossed in a hot pan with a little extra

virgin olive oil, lightly sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground

pepper - hmmm... now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder where I can

get my hands on a choko or two.

 

Carol

barnaclegoose

http://barnaclegoosepaperworks.blogspot.com/

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