Buffalo Rising Online

Jun 12th 2007, 11:43am By Christa Glennie Seychew

We are now on our 6th entry detailing the contestants and the dishes that they presented for BR's Buffalo Chef's Challenge: Chayote. I won't disclose all of the details again, so those of you that are not regular readers, and are unfamiliar with the challenge, it's rules, and it's participants, can access that information using the list of links below.

I am pleased to announce that our second place winner is Shango Bistro and Wine Bar. They've been featured on BR before, and I find that the food is consistently well-prepared. When I contacted Jim Guarino, chef and owner, and Marla Crouse, manager and wine director, they were both excited about the project. When I delivered the “mystery” ingredient, Jim was intrigued and enthusiastic. It seems that chayote is a common ingredient in Cajun and Creole cuisine. Though Chef Jim had never used mirliton (the French term for chayote) before, he was anxious to give it a try.

When I arrived 24 hours later for the tasting, Guarino was working in the kitchen, putting the final touches on his dish. He had delved into some of his cookbooks for a little reading, and then designed his dish to suit his style and the modern take that Shango has on the traditional cuisine of New Orleans.

In the dining room, Guarino presented me with a chayote trio. The plate was lovely, everything prepared with style and thought, without being overdone or straying from the simplicity of Shango's regular offerings.

Appearing in the picture above, from left to right are:
Mirliton and sweet corn relish topped with a crawfish cake and remoulade
Roasted mirliton stuffed with Gulf shrimp, andouille sausage and Louisiana popcorn rice, finished with Cajun cream sauce
Mirliton and Vidalia onion slaw topped with crispy fried oysters and Creole mustard vinaigrette

Quite honestly, I have to say that I couldn't find a single thing wrong with Shango's entry. It was well conceived, perfectly executed and there was good balance in every preparation.

Of the first offering I tasted, the relish was definitely the star. The texture of the chayote blended well with the other ingredients which included corn and peppers. Sweet, tender and crunchy, the cool relish offset the crisp exterior of the crawfish cake and the spice of the remoulade.

In the post on Amaryllis, we talked about how the roasting of the chayote really brought its flavor forward, without compromising it's texture. In his second preparation, Chef Guarino roasted the chayote and hollowed it out. The stuffing was a combination of juicy Gulf shrimp, fiery andouille and Louisiana popcorn rice. The heat of the andouille left little room for the aromatic nature of the fluffy popcorn rice to shine through, but it was an excellent choice in that the unique texture of the delicate rice kept the filling from being wet or heavy. The touch of Cajun cream sauce was a nice complement as well.

Last, but far from least was the flawlessly executed fried oyster, perched atop a bright, flavorful slaw. The slaw itself was perfectly dressed with a Creole mustard vinaigrette which imparted a mild heat, gracefully cut through the rich, fried oyster.

Out of all of the chefs that I spoke with Chef Guarino seemed most likely to incorporate mirliton into a special or two.

Shango not only offers superior New Orleans cuisine, but also a notable beer and wine selection. In fact, their wine list was recently recognized by Wine Spectator. Congratulations Jim and Marla! In the near future, look for Buffalo Rising to post a full feature on Buffalo restaurants that have received awards from Wine Spectator. Including interviews, and information about the selection criteria and the process with which Wine Spectator uses to determine those worthy of their award.

Thank you to Jim, Marla and the staff at Shango for participating in BR's Chef's Challenge:Chayote.

Shango Bistro and Wine Bar, 3260 Main, 14214, 837.2326, call for hours

Photos by Christa Glennie Seychew

Other links:

Initial Chayote Challenge Post
Third Place (tie): Torches
Third Place (tie): Amaryllis
Honorable Mention: Left Bank
Honorable Mention: Mode
Honorable Mention: North End