Chayote Squash with Scallops

This dish is similar to ginisang chayote with shrimp. I made this up when I had some scallops and didn’t know what to do with them. I tried to fry them in butter like most people or restaurants do but we did not like it cooked that way. They tasted very fishy. So, I invented this dish so not to waste the remaining scallops in the freezer and it turned out very good, as a matter of fact. It has a mild and sort of sweet flavor. The scallops did not taste fishy at all.

Ingredients:

• 1 or two chayote squash peeled, seed sliced off, and cut up in small and thin pieces
• 2 slices bacon with a lot of fat, sliced crosswise in small pieces
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small Roma tomato, diced
• 1 cup of small scallops
• 1/2 cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 shrimp bouillon cube (optional)
• 1 tsp. patis (fish sauce) optional
• 1 tsp. Mirin or 1/2 tsp. sugar

Cook the bacon pieces in a skillet or a wok as you would bacon slices until browned and the fat rendered. You can push them to the side or remove from the wok when done and add the garlic to saute until fragrant then add the onions and saute until soft and transparent. Add the tomatoes, and saute, pressing until soft. Add the 1/2 cup water then simmer until the tomatoes are cooked. Add the scallops, simmer for a couple of minutes then add the sliced chayote. Simmer for a couple of minutes covered, checking and stirring occasionally. It is done when the chayote is tender-crisp. Add salt and pepper, patis if using then the Mirin or sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

You may add a shrimp bouillon for flavor but I think it is good without.