I usually make this mid-summer, because that’s the time of year that unsolicited zucchini starts showing up on your doorstep. Your friends and family have a garden and their squash and zucchini plants are prolific. They are running out of workmates and neighbors to give it to, so they drive around town leaving it on doorsteps when no one is looking. I used to dread it, but now I love to make calabacitas. So if you are sick of making zucchini bread, try this recipe for a great side dish any time of the year.
Calabacitas are often served here at New Mexican restaurants as a side dish option to the usual rice and beans. Calabacitas recipes are like green chili stew recipes out here in New Mexico – everybody has one and it is the best. I’m not going to say mine is the best – but it is tried and true and is sure to please. Here is my basic calabacitas recipe, but be sure to experiment on your own. All spices are subject to taste and that is where the experimenting starts. You may also add tomatoes, but I don’t because they don’t agree with me. But the Concentrated Cannabis Oil is a really nice addition to make some Cannabis Infused Calabacitas!
Cannagramma’s Cannabis Infused Calabacitas – serves four as a side dish
Ingredients:
- one yellow squash 8-9″ or so
- one zucchini 8-9″ or so
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn (fresh grilled corn is best!)
- 1/2 cup sweet yellow onion chopped
- 1/2 cup grated cheese ( I always use queso fresco if I can – after all , this is a classic Mexican Dish. If you have a Mexican market in town, get the queso fresco. Otherwise use any other mild white soft cheese, like mozzarella.)
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup prepared roasted/chopped green chili (use more if you like the heat)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Concentrated Cannabis Oil (like RSO -Rick Simpson Oil) – as much as you dare! This recipe is four servings, so if you use 100mg of oil that will be 25mg per serving.
- salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350º
Prepare squash and zucchini by quartering lengthwise and then chopping into 1/4″ to 3/8″ chunks. Set aside.
Saute chopped onion and garlic salt and pepper in olive oil until onions are just threatening to brown, and then add the concentrated cannabis oil and mix well.
Next, add the chopped squash and zucchini and cook until they are just about half done.
Add corn, and as soon as it is thawed move to a 1 quart casserole dish and mix in cheese and green chili.
Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.
We served this up as a side dish to Roasted Cuban Pork with black beans and rice and it was a perfect compliment.
Many people will leave out the green chili, but I just can’t do that. There are many fine green-chili-in-a-jar choices out there in our supermarkets, and for those who are not in NM, you can even find them online. Please don’t use canned chili. It just doesn’t taste the same. Of course – freshly roasted is best so if you want to roast and peel your own – go for it!
Bon Appetit!
p.s. – Let’s not fight about the spelling of Chili or Chile, folks… both are acceptable. I like to spell it “Chili”, and so do the grammar junkies.
