A Lean, Crafty Chayote

The delicate flavor of chayote squash works well with the tomato-rice stuffing in this light main-course vegetable dish.

Chayotes are easy to prepare for stuffing. Pick small, pear-shaped chayotes that are firm and dark green in color. After cooking them in boiling water until tender, cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the single flat seed.

Next, use a small knife to cut around the edges and remove the flesh. Be careful not to puncture the skins.

If you’re a vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth in the stuffing.

After baking, spoon the tomato mixture from the bottom of the baking dish over the top of each stuffed squash. The squash should be tender enough to cut through with ease. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese finishes the dish nicely.

STUFFED CHAYOTE SQUASH

2 chayote squash

2 large tomatoes

Nonstick cooking spray

1/2 cup minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup short-grain rice

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can nonfat chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram

Salt

Pepper Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook squash in boiling water to cover until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and cut in half. Remove seeds and scoop flesh from shell, being careful not to cut through skins. Chop squash meat and set aside.

Cut tomatoes in half and grate in bowl, discarding skin. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add onion and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onion is almost tender, about 2 more minutes. Stir in rice.

Combine 3/4 cup broth and 1/2 cup grated tomato and set aside. Add remaining broth and tomato to rice. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is partly cooked and liquid is absorbed, but not dry, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved chopped squash, paprika, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste.

Season squash shells with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon rice into shells. Arrange stuffed squash in 9-inch square baking dish. Pour reserved tomato-broth mixture around squash. Cover and bake at 350 degrees until rice is cooked through, 45 to 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and spoon tomato mixture from bottom of baking dish over top of each stuffed squash. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over tops.

Makes 4 stuffed halves.

Each serving contains about:

148 calories; 376 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 1.39 grams fiber.

David Gurney’s “Arroyo Grande” pottery bowl and candleholders from Freehand in Los Angeles.