Melon and Cho Cho Salad

Recipe from Denai Moore

Adapted by Bryan Washington

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Melon and Cho Cho Salad
Chris Simpson for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Heather Greene.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(94)
Comments
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This melon salad, from Denai Moore’s “Plentiful: Vegan Jamaican Recipes to Repeat” (Hardie Grant, 2023) is a delight on a summer day, and a quick, surprising start to the rest of your meal. Consisting largely of sliced cantaloupe and chayote (also known as cho cho), the dish requires minimal effort: chopping, tossing and serving. The amount of acidity and herbs can be adjusted and calibrated to your preference, or the crowd that you’re cooking for. As Ms. Moore writes, “This is a salad to be eaten seasonally, as it uses so few ingredients, so it’s important that each one has the best opportunity to shine.” Nodding toward a vibrancy of flavor, confluence of textures and an eye to pleasure, it’s a salad to look forward to.  —Bryan Washington

Featured in: This Melon Salad Is Pure Pleasure

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1small or ½ large cantaloupe, halved, seeded, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1chayote squash (cho cho), peeled, halved, seeded and finely sliced (on a mandoline if you have one)
  • 1small shallot, sliced into half-moons
  • 30mint leaves
  • ⅓cup roasted salted almonds, preferably Marcona
  • Splash of coconut vinegar or white wine vinegar (about 2 teaspoons)
  • Glug of extra-virgin olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine cantaloupe, chayote, shallot, mint, almonds, vinegar and olive oil in a large bowl and toss together. Plate up, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Ratings

4 out of 5
94 user ratings
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Comments

Ka

Does anybody know how to choose a good (ripe) chayote?

Jorge David

I don't think there are "unripe" chayotes for sale in any market. Chayote ripeness would be akin to cucumber ripeness. Just buy one and use it as is.

María

Chayotes are always ripe but not always fresh. Look for one that’s smooth and uniformly green- no brown anywhere

algerae

I subbed sliced almonds (I toasted them lightly). And my shallots were very strong so I gave them a 20-min ice bath and they mellowed out very nicely. I sliced both the melon and the squash on the mandolin; thinner setting for the squash.

Tarra

Seems like In Louisiana you can only get chayote around the holidays. We call them Mirlitons (but pronounce that Mel-i-ton) and stuff them with shrimp for Thanksgiving. Since it’s August, I used an avocado instead because it was there and the salad was really good!

Maureen

Holly, I made this salad with yellow patty pan squash subbed for the chayote. Delicious! I sliced it this and did not take the seeds out. I have made this twice. We love it. I also used red onion sliced thinly (instead of shallot) and soaked in some warm water before assembling the salad. I made these substitutions because it is what I had on hand. But I thought the colors of the salad; red onion, creamy white and yellow of squash, orange melon and green mint were so beautiful together.

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Credits

Adapted from “Plentiful: Vegan Jamaican Recipes to Repeat” by Denai Moore (Hardie Grant, 2023)

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