Chef Kathleen Coriz’s (Santo Domingo Pueblo/Kewa) calabacitas recipe celebrates squash, corn, and chile, all crops commonly grown by Indigenous farmers in New Mexico. These vegetables go well in many everyday dishes, but the blend of textures, flavors, and heat that emerge when combined makes Chef Coriz’s recipe particularly memorable.
Squash, corn, and chile are crops grown at home by many Indigenous peoples in North America. The varieties used by Chef Coriz’s are heirlooms that have acclimated to the soils and climate of New Mexico over many generations. Still, there are many commercially available varieties suited to different climates. It’s a good idea to ask around and get a sense of what grows well in your area.
Squash
Chef Coriz uses zucchini, a type of summer squash. This type of summer squash is best harvested while the skin is thin and tender. Other kinds of summer squash include yellow crookneck, tatume, and Mexican gray. Any of these would be suitable for use in this recipe.
Corn
Chef Coriz uses fresh corn harvested from her family’s field. Corn typically grown for grinding into flour or turning into hominy can be harvested at the “milk” stage, which occurs about 20 days after silks emerge from an ear of corn. At this stage, the kernels are filled with a milky white fluid, and kernels separated from the cob can be cooked until translucent (and delicious), as Chef Coriz does here. Most corn found at supermarkets or farmer’s markets are sweet corn varieties, which Chef Coriz uses in this recipe. The process of growing corn is relatively simple and rewarding, so give it a try if you want to experience the unique taste of homegrown.
Chile
New Mexico is the only state with an official state question: Red or green? For this recipe, at least, the answer is green. Green chile is simply the unripened version of red chile. If you live in the Southwest, particularly in New Mexico, midsummer through autumn is chile season, and you’ll easily find all you need at local markets or roadside stands where green chiles are roasted to your delight. Elsewhere, fresh green/red chile may be harder to find and best acquired in your backyard. If you plan to grow green/red chile, start seeds inside a few weeks before your average last frost date. Chiles prefer a long, hot growing season, so if you live in an area with cold summers, a greenhouse or hoop house may be your best bet to get the plants the heat they need. Harvest when the chiles get full-sized and are dark green, but before they start changing color. The chile seeds contain a lot of heat, so adjust the amount you include to control the dish's spiciness.
Chef Coriz recommends serving calabacitas with something hearty, such as meatloaf or steak.
Recipe
Ingredients
4-5 Squash, quartered and sliced thinly.
4-5 ears of Corn, removed from cob.
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
2-3 Green Chilis, diced and seeded to taste.
Half an Onion, diced.
2 TBS Butter
Salt, to taste
Place pan on medium heat. Add butter
Saute garlic until aromatic.
Add corn. Cook until it begins to brown, or until tender.
Add green chile and onion. Cook until onion is translucent
Add squash, cook until browned.
Season with salt to taste.
Turn heat down, cook until squash has reached desired tenderness.
Serve.