Chayote Relleno

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Title: Chayote Relleno
Categories: Mexican, Desserts, Ceideburg 2
Yield: 6 servings

3 sm Chayotes (about 6 ounces
-each)
1/2 c Almonds
1/2 c Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tb Brandy
1 ts Vanilla
2 tb Milk or cream
pn Nutmeg
1 1/2 c Sponge cake or pound cake *
1/2 c Golden sultana or black
-raisins
3 tb Slivered almonds
1 c Softly whipped cream,
-barely sweetened

* crumbled into fine crumbs, plus 2 tablespoons for topping (see note)

This is a use for chayote that I would never have thought of, but it
sounds really good.

I love to shock people with the unexpected, such as serving these
stuffed chayote shells for dessert. In this recipe, chayote's
delicate texture and taste combine with almonds, sugar, brandy, eggs,
cream, raisins and sponge cake to make an elegant pudding-like
filling for the pale-green shells. They are absolutely delicious and
something you might have been served in one of the fine old
households of colonial Mexico.

Cut the chayote in half lengthwise and steam for 35 minutes, or until
just tender. Do not overcook++you don't want the shells to collapse
when you scoop them out.

Meanwhile, combine the almonds and sugar in a food processor and grind
until the almonds are fairly fine.

Preheat oven to 375F.

When the chayote is cooked and cool enough to handle, remove the
seed, and scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell. Set
aside.

Place the chayote pulp in the processor with the ground almonds; add
eggs and process to a puree. Add the brandy, vanilla and milk or
cream. Blend. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in nutmeg, cake
crumbs and raisins.

Spoon the pudding mixture into the chayote shells (you will have
about 1 1/2 cups left over) and place them in a greased baking dish.

Sprinkle slivered almonds and reserved cake crumbs over the tops.
Bake stuffed shells for 30 minutes. Pour remaining pudding mixture
into a greased loaf pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Serve warm, topped with whipped cream.

Serves 6 lucky people. (The pudding loaf serves 4.)

NOTE: I cheat and buy a frozen pound cake to use for this recipe.

PER SERVING: 420 calories, 10 g protein, 54 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat
(7 g saturated), 192 mg cholesterol, 141 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

From an article by Jacquiline Higuera McMahan in the San Francisco
Chronicle, 6/2/93.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; June 4 1993.

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