Mirliton Squash

[John3]

I was told about this squash making an excellent - Mirliton & Shrimp Casserole.
I have looked through a few seed catalogs and not found it. Any one know where to buy the seeds? ok found out you have to plant a whole fruit as the seed needs it to grow.

The chayote (Sechium edule), also known as chuchu, sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, christophene, mirliton, vegetable pear, and pear squash is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along with melons, cucumbers and squash.

The chayote fruit is used in both raw and cooked forms. When cooked, chayote is usually handled like summer squash, it is generally lightly cooked to retain the crisp flavor. Raw chayote may be added to salads or salsas, and it is often marinated with lemon or lime juice. It can also be eaten straight, although the bland flavor makes this a dubious endeavor. Whether raw or cooked, chayote is a good source of amino acids and vitamin C.

The tubers of the plant are eaten like potatoes and other root vegetables. In addition, the shoots and leaves can be consumed, and they are often used in salads and stir fries, especially in Asia. Like other members of the gourd family such as cucumbers, melons, and squash, chayote can get quite sprawling, and it should only be planted if there is plenty of room in the garden. The roots are also highly susceptible to rot, especially in containers, and the plant in general is finicky to grow.

The word for chayote is Spanish, borrowed from the Nahuatl word chayotli. Chayote was one of the many foods introduced to Europe by early explorers, who brought back a wide assortment of botanical samples. The age of conquest also spread the plant south from Mexico, ultimately causing it to be integrated into the cuisine of many other Latin American nations.

[John3]

here's two recipes

Mirliton & Shrimp Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
4 medium mirlitons
2 tbsps crab boil (liquid)
4 tbsps margarine
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 large onion, chopped finely
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
garlic salt to taste
salt to taste
pepper to taste
½ cup bread crumbs
METHOD:
Boil mirlitons until tender in salty water to which 2 tbsps of crab boil
were added. Peel and cube the pulp. Sauté green onions, onions and
parsley in margarine. Add shrimp and cook 10 minutes. Add mirliton,
garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Pour into 9x13-inch
casserole, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake 30 minutes at 350
degrees F.




not sure I would add the green pumpkin
Mirliton, Shrimp and Crabmeat Casserole
Ingredients
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
7 pounds mirliton, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick slices or 1 (7 pound green pumpkin) *see note
1/4 cup vegetable oil
11/4 cups finely chopped yellow onions
1/3 cup finely chopped garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound Gruyere, or mozzarella, finely grated
*Cooks note: any type of bland squash can be substituted for the mirliton or green pumpkin in this recipe (merlitons, yellow squash,
or zucchini) Long green Italian squashes would work great too. Regular pumpkins can also be used (not the kind for pie, but the
big, bland ones more often used for Jack o'lanterns). Butternut or acorn squash does not work with this recipe. The original recipe
uses 1 (7 pound) green pumpkin.
Directions
Place the mirlitons in a large pot and add enough water to come 1-inch up the sides of the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Continue to
cook over medium-high heat until the mirliton is very tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Strain in a large colander. Using the back of the
spoon, press on the pumpkin to release as much liquid as possible. Discard any liquid.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook,
stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mirliton, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the
mirliton is very thick and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 to 40 minutes. (Be careful near the end of the cooking time that the
mirliton does not burn on the bottom of the pot.)
Preheat the oven broiler.
Add the shrimp, crabmeat, green onions, and parsley to the pumpkin mixture and gently stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as
necessary. Transfer hot pumpkin mixture to the prepared dish and spread the grated cheese evenly over the top. Broil until the cheese
is bubbly and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
*Cooks note: any type of bland squash can be substituted for the mirliton or green pumpkin in this recipe (merlitons, yellow squash,
or zucchini) Long green Italian squashes would work great too. Regular pumpkins can also be used (not the kind for pie, but the
big, bland ones more often used for Jack o'lanterns). Butternut or acorn squash does not work with this recipe. The original recipe
uses 1 (7 pound) green pumpkin.

[John3]

Planting Chayote

In the course of my studies, I also discovered that the almond-sized chayote seed can't be dried and saved for planting: It germinates only inside the fruit — and will often do so while still on the vine — so the seed must be planted with its fleshy "shell" intact. The vegetable pear grower's first step, then, is to locate a market (try an area with a large Spanish-speaking population) where chayote is sold in the late fall. (It doesn't matter if the fruit has been in cold storage and plastic-wrapped.) Buy several . . . put them away in a dark, cool (not frosty) place . . . and wait. The seed sprout will emerge and lengthen in the darkness. By February it should be approximately six inches long.

Then, if your area — like most parts of North America — isn't yet frost-free, put the sprouted chayote in a pot with the tip of the new growth just peeping out of the soil. Set it in a sunny window, keep it watered, and plant it outdoors once the weather is warm enough. (Should you live in a zone, like ours, that usually stays above freezing in February, you can simply plant the germinated fruit wherever you want it to grow.)

[John3]

how to plant

[John3]

Explaining about the taste and how to pick them