Veracruz Stuffed Chayote (Chayotes Rellenos)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large stockpot for boiling whole chayotes
• •Sharp spoon for hollowing the shells
• •Wide skillet for stewing the filling
• •Naolinco-style barro cazuela or sturdy baking dish
• •Box grater for queso manchego mexicano

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the chayotes

   Put the whole chayotes in a large pot and cover with water by two inches. Add the tablespoon of salt. Bring to a steady simmer and cook 35 to 45 minutes, depending on size, until a knife slides through the thickest part without forcing. Do not cut them first. The shell needs to stay firm enough to hold the filling.

2. 2

   Cool and split

   Lift the chayotes from the water and let them cool until you can handle them. Cut each one in half lengthwise, following the natural crease. Remove the soft seed and discard it. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh, leaving a shell about 1/4 inch thick. Work carefully. If you tear the shell, it will slump in the oven and look like nobody was paying attention.

   Chayote gives off a sticky sap when raw, but after boiling it behaves. If your hands are sensitive, use a towel while handling the warm shells.
3. 3

   Chop the flesh

   Chop the scooped chayote flesh into small pieces and press it gently in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water. Chayote carries a lot of moisture. If you skip this, the filling turns loose and the crema breaks into a puddle. The Veracruz home cooks who make this well know the vegetable first, then the recipe.

4. 4

   Cook the base

   Heat the manteca de cerdo in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the white onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, just until it smells sharp and sweet. Add the diced jamón de pierna and cook until its edges darken lightly. This is where the fat takes the flavor from the ham and gives it to the chayote.

5. 5

   Stew the filling

   Add the chopped chayote flesh to the skillet and cook 5 minutes, stirring often, until it looks drier and begins to hold together. Stir in the Mexican crema, whole milk, white pepper, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the mixture is creamy but not soupy. Taste for salt. Ham and cheese bring salt, so don't throw salt in blindly.

6. 6

   Fill the shells

   Heat the oven to 400F. Arrange the chayote shells cut side up in a lightly greased barro cazuela or baking dish. Spoon the filling back into the shells, mounding it generously. Mix the grated queso manchego mexicano with the remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs and scatter it over the top. Press lightly so the cheese stays where you put it.

7. 7

   Gratinate until golden

   Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the filling is hot and the queso manchego melts into a golden, browned blanket with small darker spots at the edges. If your oven browns unevenly, turn the dish once. Let the chayotes rest 5 minutes before serving so the crema settles. Así se hace y punto.

8. 8

   Serve Veracruz style

   Serve the chayotes family-style in the cazuela, with only a little parsley if you use it at all. No avocado. No sour cream. No pile of lettuce. This is a Veracruz side dish for a proper table, especially beside baked fish, roast pork, black beans, or arroz blanco.

Chef Tips

• •Buy chayotes that feel heavy for their size and have tight, pale green skin without deep wrinkles. A tired chayote tastes like wet paper. Pregúntale a las señoras del mercado.
• •Use queso manchego mexicano, the mild melting cheese sold in Mexican markets. Spanish aged Manchego is a different cheese and will make the topping oily and sharp.
• •There is no chile in this version because Veracruz food is not one flat idea of heat. The flavor here is chayote, ham, crema, and browned cheese. Not every Mexican dish needs to announce itself with chile.
• •If you cannot find jamón de pierna, use a good cooked ham cut from the deli counter, not sweet glazed holiday ham. Sugar fights the chayote and makes the filling taste confused.
• •Manteca de cerdo is correct for the skillet. Butter gives a richer dairy note, yes, but this kitchen uses pork fat with ham because the flavors belong together. No me vengas con atajos.

Advance Preparation

• •The chayotes can be boiled and hollowed one day ahead. Refrigerate the shells and chopped flesh separately in covered containers.
• •The filling can be cooked up to one day ahead. Rewarm it gently before stuffing so it spreads cleanly in the shells.
• •Assemble and gratinate shortly before serving. Fully baked leftovers keep two days, but the shells soften, so this dish is best the day it is browned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 280g)