Title: Chayote Relleno
 Categories: Mexican, Desserts
      Yield: 6 servings
 
      3 sm Chayotes (about 6 ounces
           -each)
    1/2 c  Almonds
    1/2 c  Sugar
      3    Eggs
      1 tb Brandy
      1 ts Vanilla
      2 tb Milk or cream
        pn Nutmeg
  1 1/2 c  Sponge cake or pound cake *
    1/2 c  Golden sultana or black
           -raisins
      3 tb Slivered almonds
      1 c  Softly whipped cream,
           -barely sweetened
 
  * crumbled into fine crumbs, plus 2 tablespoons for topping (see note)
  
  This is a use for chayote that I would never have thought of, but it
  sounds really good.
  
  I love to shock people with the unexpected, such as serving these
  stuffed chayote shells for dessert.  In this recipe, chayote's
  delicate texture and taste combine with almonds, sugar, brandy, eggs,
  cream, raisins and sponge cake to make an elegant pudding-like
  filling for the pale-green shells. They are absolutely delicious and
  something you might have been served in one of the fine old
  households of colonial Mexico.
  
  Cut the chayote in half lengthwise and steam for 35 minutes, or until
  just tender.  Do not overcook++you don't want the shells to collapse
  when you scoop them out.
  
  Meanwhile, combine the almonds and sugar in a food processor and grind
  until the almonds are fairly fine.
  
  Preheat oven to 375F.
  
  When the chayote is cooked and cool enough to handle, remove the
  seed, and scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell.  Set
  aside.
  
  Place the chayote pulp in the processor with the ground almonds; add
  eggs and process to a puree.  Add the brandy, vanilla and milk or
  cream. Blend. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in nutmeg, cake
  crumbs and raisins.
  
  Spoon the pudding mixture into the chayote shells (you will have
  about 1 1/2 cups left over) and place them in a greased baking dish.
  
  Sprinkle slivered almonds and reserved cake crumbs over the tops. Bake
  stuffed shells for 30 minutes.  Pour remaining pudding mixture into a
  greased loaf pan and bake for 25 minutes.
  
  Serve warm, topped with whipped cream.
  
  Serves 6 lucky people. (The pudding loaf serves 4.)
  
  NOTE:  I cheat and buy a frozen pound cake to use for this recipe.
  
  PER SERVING:  420 calories, 10 g protein, 54 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat
  (7 g saturated), 192 mg cholesterol, 141 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.
  
  From an article by Jacquiline Higuera McMahan in the San Francisco
  Chronicle, 6/2/93.