Choko Loco

Andy isn't loco about chokoes (called Chayote, Chouchou, mirletons, and various other names, depending on where you are), so my experience with them has been limited. Very limited. The only time I've eaten one was over a year ago, when our mexican housemate-at-the-time cooked one up and let me try a piece. A few months after that, I saw SusanV post a recipe for stuffed choko, and I really wanted to try them out. But then they went out of season and I forgot all about them.

Until last week. They must be back in season. They are 50 cents each at the market. So I grabbed one.

When deciding how to use it, I looked at a few recipes online. There were two main camps--choko/seafood combinations (or sea vegetables) or tex-mex style. Since we had some fresh corn from the market, I decided to go the tex-mex route. The first step (unless you're eating the choko raw in salad) is to cook it. I kept it whole and boiled it in salted water for 20 minutes or so, till it was just tender. Then let it cool, cut it in half, and eat the seed. At first bite, Andy thought I was crazy to eat the seed, but then he came back for more.

For my choko loco casserole, I sauteed some onions, then added corn, capsicum, and the choko. I stirred through some cumin, chilli flakes, and salt and pepper. Then I mixed in a tin of diced tomatoes and some refried beans. The whole thing was topped with wholegrain breadcrumbs (tip: if you make crumbs and don't use them all, freeze them. They come in handy for a meal like this) and baked for about 30 minutes.
We served it up with a side salad.

The verdict? Andy's still not loco about chokoes, but I'm determined to try this veggie out some more.