Sechium edule
Idi tem quo et aut exceat quianThe greatest quality of this vegetable is also what some people point out as fault: neutrality. Tender and mild, chayote squash (also called vegetable pear and mirliton in English), is composed of more than 90% water and can absorb easily the flavor of seasonings and other food. It is good boiled or steamed, in salads, or breaded and fried, as an accompaniment. In Rio de Janeiro, one of the leading producers and consumers of the vegetable in Brazil, followed by São Paulo, there is a popular dish called Camarão ensopado com chuchu (shrimp and chayote strew). Supposedly created by the traditional confectionery Colombo, the preparation is in the restaurant’s menu since it opened, in 1894.
