Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Guiso de Chayote (Sauteed Chayote)

This is a very simple and delicious way to prepare chayote, I learned this recipe from my long time friend Steve's mother (Marta). Now Marta isn't much of a cook nor does she enjoy cooking, I remember very well growing up she'd get a lot of delicious food catered (yummm Salvadorian treats like Pupusas and such) or just fast food or ordered pizza, and sometimes on rare occasions she may cook. Of course being a latin woman she knows some basic stuff like cooking "Arroz Con Leche", red rice, beans, a couple meat dishes and quick simple sautee's here and there but hardly made them.

But Steve told me that recently she started cooking a bit more and being more experimental in the kitchen, truth be told on a Tuesday afternoon last week I was around and she made a very simple "Guiso de Chayote" to which she told me you could add meat to if desired. I'm assuming if done with meat it can take the place of vegetable and meat side dishes in a meal and stand alone if eatin with rice or tortillas and maybe some beans.

Couple day's later I made it with some browned cubed pork and mmmm.... it was delicious and simple :D I am glad I learned this dish because we usually at home didn't know what to do with Chayote besides soups and steaming it with mojo at home.

Ingredients:
-4 medium chayotes, peeled and cut into tiny cubed
-1 medium onion chopped
-4 cloves garlic minced
-2 ripe tomatoes chopped
-salt to taste
-oil to cook (she used olive oil)
-meat of choice cut into small pieces (optional)
-ground black pepper to taste (if adding meat, optional)

Directions:
(1) Brown meat in oil on medium high heat with salt and pepper. If not using meat skip this step.

(2) Now add onion to sautee in oil until translucent and slightly browned, add garlic until fragrant then tomato and give a few stirs, throw in chayote, season with salt and cover to simmer about 10-15 minutes.
(3) Enjoy!
P.S.

I'm labeling at Salvadorian for navigation purposes and because Marta is Salvadorian.