3996. DIRTY CHAYOTE and RICE SOUP with BACON

Serves: 4


1T toasted sesame oil

2 small-medium chayote squash, peeled and cubed (about 1″)

1/4 lb good bacon, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup uncooked quick-cook brown basmati rice

sea salt, to taste

Add sesame oil and bacon to a cold Dutch oven or soup pot and heat on a medium high flame until bacon is rendered and crispy, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add onion and chayote and sweat veggies until onions become translucent, 5-7 mins, scraping up bacony bits from the pan as you go. Add stock, bay leaf and uncooked rice. Bring to a rolling boil; then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-35 mins or until chayote is very tender. Add salt to taste, if necessary.

bacon recipe source: Emily Stoffel, The Pig + Quill (@thepigandquill), December 20, 2012