Chicken Vegetable Soup Azteca

Once an important food for the Aztec and Maya peoples of Central
America, the chayote is a pear-shaped fruit with furrowed, pale green
skin. It is also known variously as a mirliton, a christophene, and a
vegetable pear. It has a rather mild flavor that has been described as
a blend of cucumber, zucchini and kohlrabi.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 chayote
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 poblano chile
2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 jalapeño pepper, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (preferably fresh ground)
1 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth
5 canned Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 carrot, small diced (about 1/3 cup)
1 celery stalk, small diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 small yellow squash, small diced (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the chayote with 1 teaspoon of
the oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast the chayote in the oven
until the skin browns lightly and the flesh becomes barely tender, 25
to 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to
scrape away the skin. Cut the chayote in half from top to bottom and
use a spoon to scoop out the edible seed, which you can either discard
or eat as a snack. Dice the flesh and set aside.

Increase the oven temperature to Broil. Brush the poblano with 1
teaspoon of the oil. Place the poblano under the broiler and turn as
it roasts so that it blackens evenly on all sides. Put the poblano in
a small bowl and cover. Let the poblano steam for 10 minutes, then
remove it from the bowl and pull off the skin. Use the back of a knife
to scrape away any bits that don’t come away easily. Remove and
discard the seeds, ribs and stem. Dice the flesh and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic,
jalapeño pepper and coriander. Cook, stirring, until slightly
softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is
just cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Add the chayote, poblano, broth, tomatoes, onion, carrot, celery and
yellow squash. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are
tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the cilantro and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Serve
in heated bowls.