Ingredients

• 4 Large christophene
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups of water
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• Tbsp. Flour
• 1½ Cups Milk*
• 4 0z cheese, grated
• 1 Tbsp. chopped
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Method

Peel and dice christophene. Cook until tender in boiling salted water. Drain.

Melt butter in saucepan; add the flour and blend until smooth. Gradually add cold milk, stirring gently over low flame until mixture becomes thick and smooth. Add cheese and onion and simmer for additional 5 minutes.

Arrange the Christophene in a salad or vegetable dish, pour the cheese sauce over it and garnish with chopped parsley

** If you prefer using skimmed milk powder, use ⅓ cup of powdered milk to 1½ cups of cold water and whisk until all lumps disappear.

About Christophene

In the most common variety, the fruit is roughly pear-shaped, somewhat flattened with coarse wrinkles, ranging from 10 to 20 cm in length. It resembles a green pear, and has a thin, green skin fused with the green to white flesh, and a single, large, flattened pit. Some varieties have spiny fruits. The flesh has a fairly bland taste, and the texture is described as a cross between a potato and a cucumber. Although generally discarded, the seed has a nutty flavor[citation needed] and may be eaten as part of the fruit.

The christophene vine can be grown on the ground, but as a climbing plant, it will grow onto anything, and can easily rise as high as 12 meters when support is provided. It has heart-shaped leaves, 10–25 cm wide and tendrils on the stem. The plant bears male flowers in clusters and solitary female flowers.[5] The plant’s fruit is light green and elongated with deep ridges lengthwise

Christophene, fruit, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz):

• Energy 80 kJ (19 kcal)
• Carbohydrates 4.51 g
• Sugars 1.66 g
• Dietary fiber 1.7 g
• Fat 0.13 g
• Protein 0.82 g
• Vitamins
• Thiamine (B1) (2%) 0.025 mg
• Riboflavin (B2) (2%) 0.029 mg
• Niacin (B3) (3%) 0.47 mg
• Pantothenic acid (B5) (5%) 0.249 mg
• Vitamin B6 (6%) 0.076 mg
• Folate (B9) (23%) 93 μg
• Vitamin C (9%) 7.7 mg
• Vitamin E (1%) 0.12 mg
• Vitamin K (4%) 4.1 μg

Minerals:

• Calcium (2%) 17 mg
• Iron (3%) 0.34 mg
• Magnesium (3%) 12 mg
• Phosphorus (3%) 18 mg
• Potassium (3%) 125 mg
• Zinc (8%) 0.74 mg

Link to USDA Database entry

Units

μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams

IU = International units

Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.

Source: USDA Nutrient Database

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