Mexican cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Chayote in Pipián Sauce

Chayote cubes in a green sauce of roasted pumpkin seeds, tomatillos and serrano chili.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 chayotes
• 200 g pumpkin seeds
• 400 g tomatillos
• 2 serrano chilies
• 1 white onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 600 ml vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Peel the chayotes, halve them, remove the soft core and cut the flesh into 2 cm cubes; cook in salted water for 10 min until just tender, then drain.
2. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 4–5 min, stirring constantly, until they pop and smell nutty — they must not get any dark spots, or the sauce will turn bitter.
3. In the same pan, char the tomatillos, serrano chilies, halved onion and garlic all over for 8 min, until the skins are blotchy and browned.
4. Purée the toasted seeds, charred vegetables, cilantro and 300 ml stock very finely in a blender, then pass the mixture through a coarse sieve.
5. Heat the oil in a pot, pour in the purée — it will spatter briefly — and simmer over low heat for 8–10 min, stirring, until the sauce turns the color of pea purée and thickens; adjust to a ladle-thick consistency with the remaining stock.
6. Fold in the chayote cubes, let them sit in the sauce for 5 min, season with salt and pepper and serve with rice or warm tortillas.