Ace's Adventures with...Chayote Squash

I have finally tried chayote squash! This was a nice surprise. If I had known had tasty and versatile this little gem was, I would have been using chayote far sooner. The flavor seemed to be a cross between the stalk of a broccoli crown and zucchini. The texture is crisp, much like a radish.

If you are looking for something crunchy and mild to a salad, consider chayote.

I was planning on making a salad that used edamame and corn but other than that, I had no idea what I wanted to add. I took a stroll through the produce section of the market for inspiration. Not only did this particular market suddenly carry chayote, it was a great deal at $0.50 each. I picked one up, not knowing exactly how to use the fruit.

I did a little research and found that chayote can be used both raw and cooked and the seed is edible, as well. Perfect! My salad began to take shape. Here is what I created:

Chayote and Edamame Salad

1 cup edamame, prepared according to package directions
1 can corn, drained and rinsed,
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 chayote squash, diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
2-3 carrots, diced
1 chile pepper of choice, deseeded and minced finely
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar *
freshly ground pepper and kosher salt to taste

*I used rice vinegar but lime juice would be a tasty substitute.

Combine all in ingredients in a large bowl and let marinate 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

A few thoughts, of course:

• Followed exactly, this recipe makes a huge salad. Feel free to adjust as needed.
• Edamame is a great source of protein. Edamame can be found in the freezer section of the market, in the pod or de-shelled. I use the de-shelled variety. Edamame has a very mild flavor. Honestly, I do not think it has much of a taste but I love the color. The little beans are such a cute shade of bright green! The texture is nice, too. The bean has an initial bite but then gives way to its slightly creamy interior.

• If I were making this as a side dish, I would have left out the kidney beans
• I enjoy salads like this just the way they are, while other times I combine the salad with my favorite whole-grain for a nice dinner. Enjoy!