Pueblo Style Calabacitas Recipes

CALABACITAS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onions, poblanos, and jalapenos. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
• Add corn and tomatoes. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, salt, black pepper, oregano and ground cumin. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
• Add water to skillet, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Uncover the skillet, add the shredded cheese and milk, and stir together until the cheese has fully melted.
• Remove from heat, garnish with chopped cilantro and cotija cheese, and serve.

CALABACITAS

Steps:

• Give the tomatoes a good rinse and let them roast in a 400F oven for 20 minutes or until you need them. I usually de-stem the tomatoes knowing that any juices leftover in the roasting pan will be used.
• Finely chop a small onion and get it cooking in some oil over medium heat. Let it cook until it's starting to brown, approx. 7-10 minutes. Add three minced garlic cloves and cook for 30-60 seconds.
• Take a couple spoonfuls of the onion-garlic mixture from the pan and add it to the blender -- this will eventually be combined with the roasted tomatoes.
• Give the zucchinis a good rinse and cut them up into 1/4" sized pieces -- be sure to cut off the ends of the zucchinis and discard. Add the chopped zucchini to the onion-garlic mixture in the pan, along with 3/4 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano. Stir well and let it saute for a couple minutes as you put the tomato mixture together.
• Rinse the jalapeno and chop it up into quarters, discarding the stem. Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender along with 1/4 of the jalapeno. (There should also be a couple spoonfuls of the onion-garlic mixture in the blender.) Combine well and take a taste. Add additional slivers of the jalapeno until the heat tastes right to you. I used a larger jalapeno for this batch and only needed about half of it.
• Add the tomato mixture back to the saucepan and let the zucchini simmer in it for a couple more minutes or until the zucchini is tender but still a little firm -- this batch cooked for a total of 7-8 minutes. If using canned corn you can add it in now as it doesn't need much time to heat up. If using fresh corn kernels you can add them in when you add the zucchini. (I usually drain and rinse canned corn but this is optional.)
• Take a final taste for seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch.
• Serve immediately with your choice of garnish. Cotija cheese and freshly chopped cilantro are good options.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge where they will keep for a few days.

CALABACITAS CASSEROLE WITH POLENTA AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, corn, garlic and chiles. Saute 3 minutes, add zucchini and yellow squash and onions, season with salt and pepper, chili powder; cook 7 to 8 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes and heat through. Transfer to baking dish. Cut 1 tube of polenta in 1/2-inch slices lengthwise. Top vegetables with polenta and cheese. Place in hot oven to melt cheese and warm polenta, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro or flat-leaf parsley.

PUEBLO STYLE CALABACITAS

Steps:

• Place a medium skillet over medium heat for a minute or two. Add the olive oil, wait about 30 seconds, then swirl to coat the pan.
• When hot enough to sizzle a bread crumb, add the onion, chiles, salt, and optional chlle powder, and cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes, or vegetables become quite soft.
• Add the zucchini, corn, garlic, and beans, if using, and continue to cook, stirring gently to avoid breaking the beans, for about 5 minutes longer, or until the zucchini is just tender. Make sure not to overcook the zucchini. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Sprinkle in the grated cheese to taste and stir to distribute it as it melts. Add black pepper and more salt, if needed to taste.
• Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, along with lime wedges to squeeze over, on the side of each serving. Enjoy!
• Note:.
• You can make this up to several days ahead. Store it in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator, and reheat in a microwave or in a covered dish in a 300*F. oven.
• Anaheim and poblano chiles are moderately hot. For a milder flavor, remove and discard the seeds. Wash your hands after handling these or any hot peppers. You can also substitute canned green chiles.
• Fresh corn, shaved right off the cob, is perfect. But defrosted frozen corn is fine too.

CALABACITAS

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, bell pepper, onion, and zucchini, and cook until the zucchini begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, half and half, and corn. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese over top. Replace the cover on the skillet and allow to sit until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes.

ANNE'S CALABACITAS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion, green bell pepper, and yellow bell pepper until onion is translucent and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Add green chiles, zucchini, yellow squash, and patty pan squash; cook and stir until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Stir corn and tomato into squash mixture and simmer until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes; season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix pinto beans and spinach into squash mixture and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir cilantro, Cheddar cheese, cotija cheese, and sour cream into squash mixture.

MEXICAN CALABACITAS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook onions for 2-3 minutes in oil over medium heat, until soft.
• Add zucchini and tomatoes.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes, until squash and tomatoes are tender.
• Stir in corn, chile, salt and 1 cup of the cheese.
• Pour this mixture into a greased casserole and sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
• Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.