Calabacitas: New Mexican Squash Preparation

Ingredients

• 30 g butter or lard
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 500 g zucchini or summer squash, diced
• 2 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob; cob milk reserved
• 100 g roasted green chile, peeled and chopped; prepared before cooking begins
• 60 g mild cheddar, grated; optional

Method

1. 1
   Melt the butter or lard in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sweat, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft but without colour — 5 to 7 minutes.
2. 2
   Add the diced squash to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the squash is just tender but still holds its shape — 8 to 10 minutes. This is where the dish lives or dies: squash taken a minute too far loses all structure and the preparation becomes a mash; it must yield to the bite without softening further.
3. 3
   Add the corn kernels and any cob milk scraped from the ears. Stir through and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The corn should remain firm with distinct bite; the cob milk will thicken slightly around the squash.
4. 4
   Stir in the roasted, peeled, and chopped green chile. Cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes until the chile is distributed and warmed through. The pan will carry the char and heat of the roasted chile.
5. 5
   If using cheese, remove the pan from the heat, scatter the grated mild cheddar over, and stir gently until just melted into the vegetables. Serve immediately.