Chayote and Hearts of Palm Cebiche Salad

Sometimes referred to as seviche or ceviche, this dish traditionally uses an acidic marinade to partially cook seafood. Here we substitute chayote that's boiled until slightly soft. The brightly flavored dressing and crunchy onion and pepper provide a nice counterpoint to the tender texture and barely sweet flavor of the chayote, hearts of palm, and corn—all Venezuelan favorites. Allow at least three hours for the flavors to marry in the refrigerator before serving. Soaking the onion softens its pungency.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1  chayote (about 9 ounces)
• 1  cup  ice water
• 3/4  cup  vertically sliced red onion (1 small)
• 3/4  cup  (1 1/2-inch) strips orange bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  fresh corn kernels (about 1 small ear)
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1  (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, rinsed, drained, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 1/4  cup  fresh orange juice
• 2  tablespoons  ketchup
• 1  tablespoon  extravirgin olive oil
• 1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  hot pepper sauce
• Dash of sugar
• 6  Boston lettuce leaves
• 1/4  cup  chopped pitted ripe olives

Preparation

1. Cut chayote in half lengthwise. Cook chayote in boiling water 3 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Peel chayote; discard seeds and membranes. Cut chayote into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a large bowl.

2. Combine 1 cup ice water and onion in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

3. Add bell pepper strips and next 4 ingredients (through hearts of palm) to chayote.

4, Combine juices and next 5 ingredients (through sugar) in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add juice mixture to chayote mixture; toss gently. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

5. Drain onions well. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 6 plates; top each serving with 2/3 cup pepper mixture. Top each serving with onion and 2 teaspoons olives.

Beer note: This salad is soaked in citrus juices, making a German hefe-weizen the perfect choice. Paulaner Hefe-Weizen ($9/six-pack) offers a distinctive banana aroma, while a refreshing tartness from the use of 60 percent wheat helps it to stand up to the high acidity. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

Nutritional Information

Calories:

80 (41% from fat)

Fat:

3.6g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:

2.6g

Carbohydrate:

12.2g

Fiber:

3.1g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

2mg

Sodium:

363mg

Calcium:

48mg