Chilacayote squash stuffed with an orange infused quinoa, some mushrooms and a little cheese (only quit to cheese to make it vegan). Finally a tomato sauce.

Chilacayote is a type of squash that looks like a watermelon on the outside and white with black seeds on the inside.

Some say it is native to Mexico due to the etymologies of the name but it seems like Peru has also been growing it for centuries.

 

There are two traditional ways of cooking chilacayote, one is having the fully grown squash and caramelizing it by simmering it in simple syrup for hours.

 

 

The other one (which we will discuss today) is having the baby squash while still the size of a tennis ball. As the squash grows, the skin becomes harder and harder and thus more difficult to cook.

I this recipe we will need three small chilacayotes that look like this:

 

We will boil them until soft and set them aside to cool. One they are cold we will cut off the top carefully not to break it and with a little spoon we will take off the inside (only the seedy part). Make sure you keep the top!

 

 

 

Then we will start with the mushrooms, after a quick wash we will slice them (500gr). I always like to cut them in half to have stability and slice faster.

 

 

 

Once the mushrooms are ready, we will sauteé them with garlic paste (one garlic mashed with salt)..

 

 

Olive oil (1tbsp) and butter (1tbsp) until golden. I like using vegetable butter to keep it as healthy as possible.

When the mushrooms have some color set them on the side.

Put the quinoa (3tbsp) to golden on olive oil (2tbsp).

Once golden, add half cup (150ml) of sour orange juice and let reduce. You will know it is ready when you see a caramel rim on the pan.

After this add two cups (500ml) of water and let cook unil dry. Always taste you food, depending on the quality and type of quinoa it may need more water and time, if you feel it is still too “al dente” just add more water and let cook.

Take the quinoa out and mix with the mushrooms and 1tbsp of veggie butter to make a paste.

 

 

Fill the chilacayotes half way through then add some cheese (or not if you want it to be vegan) then add more quinoa until full.

We will go ahead and make a tomato culis, only adding two ripe tomatoes into the blender with one cup (250ml) of water.

In a little pan add two tbsp of olive oil and a thick chunk of onion, once the onion starts sizzling add the tomato sifting it to get rid of lumps.

 

Let it cook until creamy, thick bright red.

Finish off the stuffed chilacayotes in the oven at 180º for five minutes just to melt the cheese inside

Plate with its “hat” and some of the delish tomato!!

Voila! This is a delicious dish that is not very expensive nor difficult to make. Low carb, gluten free and vegetarian. Easy to become vegan and dairy free by just not adding cheese.

Please add salt and pepper to your taste! This is very importat and don’t forget to do it at the very end since it gets saltier as it cooks.

Hope you enjoy! Let me know how that went.

Happy cooking,

Your host

Italia