Chayote, Mirliton--a relative of the locals--zuchinni, cucumber, melon?

On Saturday we'd bought some Colorado Olathe corn from a truck as we drove over to Marble for Marble Fest. On the way back we stopped at the store to get additional items for dinner. Daughter brought a chayote for the dinner, or a mirliton as she has come to know them in New Orleans, where the Merliton Festival is held. We were amused by and curious about this vegetable.

As far as we could see, Chayote is not grown in Colorado, though it is in some other states. We read about what it was and where it came from, then found some recipes. We cooked it as a side: boiled till tender, sauted in butter which we had bought for corn on the cob, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and topped with a squeeze of lime. For future times, a sprinkle of sweet paprika might be nice too.

Nice little chayote. I think I feel guilty that we drew eyes on it before we cut it up! I'm still thinking about it as a side. As I looked over many of the recipes, I saw that it was often put in things, covered with cheese, that type of activity. Recipes like that tends to send a signal that it needs to be hidden or disguised!