Storage and Preparation:
Chayote is a hardy vegetable if it is handled properly. Store the
pears, unwashed, in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic vegetable
bag for up to two weeks.
Wash them just before preparing. Chayote has very tough skins and need
to be peeled, even if they are going to be incorporated into stews or
casseroles. Peeling them raw can be a little unpleasant as they exude a
slimy liquid that can sting the skin of your fingers. If the recipes
calls for peeling them raw, do it with a vegetable peeler under running
water or in a basin of cool water to cover. The easiest way to peel
chayote, however, is to parboil them in water to cover for 3 to 5
minutes cool slightly and the skin should just slip right off.
There is one large, soft edible seed in the center of the vegetable,
which is often discarded. In some areas, the seed is eaten if the
chayote is not too large, and the seed is still render.
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