Calabacitas: A New Mexican Classic

Calabacitas: A New Mexican Classic

Traditionally calabacitas is not a spicy dish so it is best to use mild roasted green chile unless you and all your eaters are chile heads. Bacon fat gives a great flavor but olive oil or other vegetable oil is fine, too. Frozen corn works well as there are so many other flavors in the dish but using fresh corn cut off the cob is a definite treat. I prefer to thaw frozen corn before cooking. Ice crystals can sometimes carry a "freezer" taste and rinsing them off can eliminate it. Also, it is easier to time the cooking of the corn in combination with other ingredients if it is not frozen when cooking starts. Rotel packs tomatoes in 10 ounce cans and they’re a bit of a Southwestern classic in and of themselves. In a pinch feta cheese can be used instead of Cotija

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 10

Servings: 8 people

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1 1/2 onions diced
4-5 cloves garlic minced
3-4 tablespoons rendered bacon fat or olive oil
4 cups zucchini cut in ¼ inch dice
4 cups corn kernels
1 cup roasted green chile peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 x 10 ounce cans diced tomatoes or 2 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt to taste
black pepper freshly ground, to taste
1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese for serving

Method

Dice the zucchini.
Thaw the corn under running water.
Roasted New Mexico green chile.
Peeled and seeded chile, ready to be chopped.
Sauté the onion until translucent.
Add the garlic and continue to cook until the onion is golden but not brown.
Add the zucchini and sauté until the zucchini is hot.
Add the corn, green chile, tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Simmer until the liquid has evaporated and the zucchini and corn are cooked, about 10-15 minutes, depending on your preference.
Adjust oregano, salt and pepper in the last few minutes of cooking.
Serve sprinkled with crumbled Cotija cheese.

Notes

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