And so continues the exploration of no-cal, low-carb and high-fiber chayote (chee OY tay), the summer squash whose fat folds are, er, suggestive of babies' bums ...When I first sautéed chayote for Day 221, warnings of mild-verging-on-bland seemed unfounded.
In this simple soup, however, bland is the descriptive word -- though not unpleasantly bland. This soup isn't without flavor; instead it is delicate and spare, the simplest of the simple.
Admission #1: I did omit the serrano or Thai chilis called for in the inspiring recipe.
Admission #2: What flavor there was might have come from the frozen Light Vegetable Stock.
It is good. And it'd be absolutely perfect some night when you crave something warm and comforting and easy on the stomach.
CHAYOTE SOUP
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 90 minutes (I think the soup was done in an hour but was busy and let it simmer away)
Makes 6 cups
MIKE THE BROTH (detailed instructions follow)
5 cups chicken broth, vegetable stock (or Light Vegetable Stock)
START THE ONION
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic (from a jar, of course)
1 teaspoon ginger (from a jar)
1/4 teaspoon minced serrano or Thai chili (for heat and flavor)
COOK THE SQUASH
2 chayote squash, quartered and seed sliced out, diced (about 1 1/2 pounds)
PURÉE & SEASON
Salt & pepper
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Bring the broth to a boil in the microwave. (This is a time-saving technique that can be skipped if there's no hurry.)
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven on MEDIUM HIGH. Add the oil and let get hot. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilis as they're prepped and sauté until the onions begin to soften. Dice the chayote, add to the pot along with the hot broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to MEDIUM and simmer until chayote are fully cooked. Puree with an immersion blender (leave some chunks so it's not just a muddled mess) and season to taste. Enjoy!
NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 78 Cal (30% from Fat, 19% from Protein, 52% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 11 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; 10 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 479 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol, NetCarb 7, Weight Watchers 1 point
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted from Gourmet April 2003