Chayote Squash Hash

 

Florida Heritage Foods Menu

recipe

Serves 4

What you’ll need:

Sofrito (Makes 3 cups) optional

  • 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
  • 3 ajÍ dulce chiles, seeded and roughly chopped (ED: author notes if cannot find aji dulce substitute equal amount of yellow, orange, and red bell pepper)
  • 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 6 fresh culantro leaves (ED: not a typo. Also author notes if cannot find substitute half cilantro and half parsley)
  • 6 fresh cilantro leaves and stems, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

Pour 2 quarts of water into a large saucepan and being to a boil over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt. Have a bowl of ice water ready.

Cut the chayotes in half and remove the seeds. Add the chayotes to the boiling water one by one and boil for 25 minutes, or until the skins become pale green and the flesh is easily pierced with a fork.

One by one, carefully remove the chayotes from the boiling water to the ice water, then drain.

Cut the chayotes into 1/2-inch cubes and transfer to the large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sofrito and cook for 7 minutes, or until it starts to brown and the liquid is mostly evaporated. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 more minute to form a thick sauce.

Add the chayotes and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 more minutes, or until the chayotes are fully tender and the sofrito is well incorporated.

Pour in the beaten eggs and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

SOFRITO

Put the bell pepper, ajÍ dulce chiles, and garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor and blend into a smooth puree, scraping the sides halfway through to incorporate fully.

Add the onion and pulse 5 to 7 times, until the mixture is again blended into a smooth puree.

Add the culantro and cilantro and pulse 5 or 6 more times, until the stems and leaves are minced and you have a loose paste.

Recipe adapted from Coconuts and Collards: Recipes and stories from  Puerto Rico to the Deep South by Von Diaz. University Press of Florida(2018) 

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