Calabacitas is Spanish for little squash. In this traditional recipe, squash is sautéed with onion and baked in a casserole.
When I was living in Taos, New Mexico, I came across a little known treasure of a restaurant that served local New Mexican fare. As I am a huge fan of Hatch green chiles, this dish blew my socks off. This is great for an at-home casual meal.
By Chef Colombe
Calabacitas
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients:
Ghee, to sauté
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 medium zucchini, diced medium (or substitute yellow squash or use 2 of each)
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
2 Hatch green chiles, roasted, seeded, and diced
1 large sweet potato, cubed
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 limes, fresh squeezed
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large sauté pan coated with ghee, sauté onions, zucchini, garlic, green chilies, and sweet potato for about 5 minutes or until fairly soft.
- Transfer to a 1-quart casserole dish and add cilantro, cayenne, and cinnamon. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, dress with lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
