Chayote Salad

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to The Last Morsel editor Barbara Forsythe for this not-so-true
food funny:

I was shopping with my hubby at a local supermarket and suddenly
couldn't find him. "I've lost my husband!" I muttered slightly louder
than was necessary. Then I heard a woman's voice from the next
aisle: "Some people have all the luck."

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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I left out one minor detail in yesterday's recipe regarding the olive
oil. Here is the corrected version:

Soused Grouper (Mero en Escabeche)

2 - 3 lbs (900 g - 1.35 Kg) fillets of red grouper or
similar fish, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
Salt to taste
2 cups (500 ml) olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, halved
2 bay (laurel) leaves
1/2 tsp (2 ml) whole black peppercorns
1 cup (250 ml) vinegar
1 cup (250 ml) pitted green olives

Season the fish generously with salt. Heat about 3 tablespoons (45
ml) of the oil in a skillet over moderate heat and fry the fish in
batches until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through.
Transfer to a non-reactive bowl. In the same pan, saute the onions,
carrots, bay leaves, and peppercorns until the onions are tender but
not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining olive oil, vinegar
and olives and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cool to room
temperature before pouring over the fish. Cover the bowl and
refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Serve on a bed of
lettuce. Will keep for up to one week. Serves 4 to 6.

The entire chayote is edible either raw or cooked, including the skin
and the large seed. I prefer to peel them because the skin can be
tough and fibrous, but in this dish I recommend using the seed as they
do in the Caribbean. You can use your favorite recipe for
vinaigrette, or you can use my mint vinaigrette.

Chayote Salad

2 large chayotes (christophenes, mirlitons), peeled
and quartered lengthwise (it is not necessary to remove
the edible seed)
1 Tbs (15 ml) olive oil
2 tsp (10 ml) champagne or white wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 Tbs (45 ml) finely shredded fresh mint

Boil or steam the chayotes until tender, about 20 minutes. Cool and
cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) slices. Whisk together the oil, vinegar,
mustard, salt, and pepper and pour over the chayotes. Add the mint
immediately before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue May 11 09:21:34 2004