Our “Quarantine Cooking” series continues with Chayote Salad from Taste the Islands! Sian Hunter, senior acquisitions editor, tried this recipe at home.
Here’s why Sian chose this recipe:
A bright, crunchy salad seemed like the ticket for perking up tonight’s quarantine-cooking meal! And it was neat to see the chayote transform from blobulous green freeform to surprising cross-sectioned “flowers” to neat little sticks. Fun with food!
From “Chef Irie” (Hugh Sinclair):
Chayote is used a lot in the Caribbean, usually boiled, roasted, or added to soups or other dishes. It has a neutral and mild taste, so in a raw salad it does a good job of taking on the flavor profiles of the dressing; this recipe offers a sweet, tangy lemon vinaigrette. If you want to switch it up, try jicama instead, which has a similar texture and flavor.
Chayote Salad
Serves 6
- 1 cup peeled and julienned carrots
- 1 cup peeled and julienned chayote
- ¼ cup julienned red bell pepper
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- Put all the julienned vegetables and the herbs in a medium mixing bowl. Toss to mix together.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the mustard, brown sugar, lemon and lime juices, and red pepper flakes, mixing well with whisk.
- Add the oil and whisk until the liquids emulsify. Taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Drizzle small amounts of dressing at a time over the vegetable mixture until coated but not oversaturated. Put the salad in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Serve chilled.
Sian’s verdict:
Yeppers—totally tasty and a little sassy! Plus, this vinaigrette is a new favorite. The mint made me think of summer and hanging out with friends—cannot wait for that time to come and will be packing this salad for picnics!
