I am just returning from Tecate, Mexico, where I spent a week at Rancho La Puerta for the “Gathering of Joy.” My husband was asked to speak at the event. It was my first time visiting the ranch, and I was taken by its beauty, calm, and mostly plant-based food, picked fresh from their organic garden. The ranch has over 50 fitness and activity classes each day plus breakfast hikes where you hike 4 miles to their organic garden, get a tour, and then eat a healthy breakfast from their garden.
A highlight of my stay was getting the opportunity to take a cooking class at the ranch’s cooking school & culinary center, La Cocina que Canta. The visiting chef was Kirsten West. Kirsten is an international chef and cooking instructor who has studied Mexican cuisine for more than 25 years. A fun tidbit, she was also Mick Jagger’s personal chef for four years. I got to spend a lot of time with Kirsten as she was part of our Gathering of Joy group. Her stories are truly fascinating, and I am encouraging her to write a book. So stay tuned…
Although Kirsten loves to teach Mexican cuisine it was early April and, as a visiting chef and instructor, she had to work with what was in season from the garden. So she taught us simple plant-based recipes that we would most likely make at home. Among these recipes was Chayote soup. I couldn’t try it because they used regular butter to cook the scallions, peppers, and garlic, but everyone one was raving about this soup, so I had to make it myself when we got home. With Kirsten’s permission, I will be posting all the recipes from our class on my website.
This recipe uses the Chayote fruit as the star ingredient. I had never used chayote before so this was a fun exploration. This soup is so creamy it could fool you into thinking it contained cream. It clocks in at a whopping 41 calories per serving, so it makes a great satisfying weight-loss soup as well.
If you don’t know what to look for when searching your produce aisle here is a photo of a Chayote. They look like a cross between a wrinkly pear and the crazy plant from the movie, Little Shop of Horrors. Chayotes have a very mild flavor, similar to zucchini, so if you can’t find Chayote in your area, zucchini would make a good substitution. I found them at my Sprouts Market and have seen them at Whole Foods. Peak harvest season is September through May and some varieties have sharp spikes on the outer skin.
chayote soup
Ingredients
- SOUP
- 2 scallions minced
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- 1/4 teaspoon minced serrano chili or to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted vegan butter or neutral oil
- 1 1/2 lb chayotes 2-3 peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (4 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- GARNISH
- fresh cilantro sprigs
- fresh ground pepper
- edible flowers optional
Instructions
- COOK. In a 3-quart saucepan cook the scallions, garlic, and chile in butter over low heat, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes.
- ADD. Add chopped chayote, salt, and 1 tablespoon cilantro and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Then add water and simmer, covered, until chayote are very tender, 15-20 minutes.
- PUREE. Stir in remaining tablespoon of cilantro and puree soup in two batches in a blender until smooth. (Please use caution when blending hot liquids.)
- ADJUST. Adjust salt seasoning and garnish.
- SERVE & ENJOY
- This recipe was first published in 2003 Gourmet magazine by Chef Shelly Weiseman who spent her younger years living in Mexico.
Notes
- NOTES: I copied the recipe as originally written with the addition of fresh ground pepper, and I substituted vegan butter to make this dish completely vegan. I found, for my taste, it needed an additional element and added an acid in the form of lime juice. I added the juice of one small lime before pureeing. I also added more salt and used most of the serrano chili. Next time I will use the entire chili for a bit more heat.
How much water do you add?