Calaba-Sweetus

Indigenous green thumbs called them the “three sisters”: corn, beans and squash. That’s partly because they grow in such harmony together, shielding each other from a harsh and beating sun, and because they taste so good with each other. This classic threesome is “calabacitas,” a mash of corn and sqaush and beans. We’ve cooked bastardy versions of it before.
After bottling nearly 2 quarts of sweet zucchini relish you can imagine we were desperately seeking for dishes to help eat though the stuff. So we seized on a deconstructed kind of calabacitas featuring sweet corn taco filling topped with the relish, rather than just sauteing them together. A naturally sugar-kissed Habañero salsa seals the deal. So sweet.

Sweet-Cream Habañero Salsa
(Makes 2 cups)

Canola spray
2 Tbs. tequila (100% blue agave)
2 cups yellow cherry tomatoes
1 white onion
2 green onions
1-2 habañeros
1 Tbs. olive oil
Sea Salt
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice the tomatoes in half one-by-one. Coat a deep pan lightly with canola spray and place three-fourths of the tomatoes in the pan face-down. Toss the rest in a bowl and add tequila as a marinade.
2. Add the white onion, chopped in half, and the green onions to the pan. Slice the habañero in half and add it too. Salt veggies and add a dash of olive oil.
3. Let veggies roast for 25-35 minutes, or until tomatoes are mushy and translucent and white onion is soft. Set in a pan to cool for a few minutes and then puree with a handheld mixer or in a cuisinart. Salt to taste and serve with chips (careful of the spice level, it wanes as it sits). Save some for the tacos. Make tacos…

Corn-Squash Tacos
(Serves 4)
1/2 red onion
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeño
1 red bell pepper
4-6 ears of corn
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 can refried beans
8 fresh corn tortillas
4. In a sauté pan on medium heat, add the diced onion, jalapeño and red bell pepper. Toast for 30 seconds before drizzling olive oil. Slice the corn off the cob with a knife and then add to the pan. Roast for 2-3 minutes or until corn starts to brown slightly. Add vegetable stock and cook for another 5 minutes or until liquid is virtually gone.
5. Cook (or re-heat) veggie refried beans. These will serve as an apoxy for your corn mash.
6. Heat your tortillas on the stove and plate: Place refried beans on each tortilla, followed by one scoop of corn. Top it off with a smaller spoonful of sweet zucchini relish and finally a dollop of salsa.
Beverage: Pabst Slushies (1 can Pabst, 1/2 cup lime sorbet, 1 tsp. sat)
Soundtrack: Sonic Youth’s “Sweet Shine”