Chayote Potato Gratin
WHAT YOU NEED
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 chayotes, diced
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Nonstick spray
- For Béchamel Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/4 cups warm milk
- 1 cup Cacique Crema Mexicana
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup Cacique Oaxaca cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup cilantro washed and stems removed
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat sauté onion and celery until light and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic cloves; cook an additional 30 seconds then stir in chayotes and potatoes. Cook, occasionally stirring for 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Remove from heat, while you make béchamel sauce.
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat melt butter. Stir in flour, constantly stirring until the mixture is smooth and light in color, about 2 minutes. Stir in warm milk slowly, stirring until mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the sauce boils, remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in crema. Pour the béchamel sauce over chayote-potato mixture, stir carefully to combine. Spoon into a casserole dish liberally sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. While gratin bakes, combine shredded Oaxaca cheese with cilantro. After 40 minutes, top with cheese-cilantro mixture, return to oven and broil until cheese melts and toasts. Remove gratin from oven, allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
