Today's easy-easy concept recipe: Onions, summer squash and chilis quick-cooked in the skillet, with as much (or as little!) heat as you can stand! Low carb.
2:00 pm E-MAIL from ME: "I have a fridgeful of Hatch chilis that appeared at the grocery over the weekend, am hunting around for something interesting/easy to do with them. Suggestions?"
2:05 pm E-MAIL RESPONSE from my friend SALLY DENTON: "Yes!! Calabacitas. Sauté garlic in a skillet in olive oil. Add chopped onion, sliced yellow and zuccini squash; half a bag frozen corn; and as much green chiles as you can handle. Salt & pepper and serve topped with grated parmesan or cheddar cheese. Yum. Sure sign of fall."
2:10 pm E-MAIL RESPONSE to Sally: "Sold."
How in the world have I missed calabacitas? [How to pronounce calabacitas?
The only caveat, know your heat. Let me put that another way, Know the LIMITS to your heat. I took Sally's challenge of "add as many chilis as you can stand" the first time I made Calabacitas, I thought that was two Hatch chilis. OUCH. The dish was great, but the chilis were left in a huge pile on the dish, not edible. I might use a whole poblano chili for this but if it were a jalapeño or another chili with heat, know what you like!
This another "concept recipes" -- we do love concept recipes, right?! The basics are the onion, zucchini, yellow squash and chilis, but after that, add and subtract as you see fit. I can imagine lima beans, chopped tomatoes, chopped okra and piles of fresh herbs. What seems right to you?
RECIPE for CALABACITAS
Hands-on time: 10 minutes active plus occasional attention throughout
Time to table: 20 minutes
Serves 4 or 6, depending on quantities
Time to table: 20 minutes
Serves 4 or 6, depending on quantities
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped in large pieces
Chili - as much as you can handle, next time I'll start with a whole poblano or a small jalapeño
1 zucchini, ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise, then cut cross-wise into large pieces
1 yellow squash, same
1 ear corn, husked and corn cut off the cob into a bowl with a knife
1/2 ounce cheese (I used the gorgeous Mexican cotija)
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro, chopped
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on MEDIUM HIGH til shimmery. Add the onion and chilis as they're prepped, stir to coat with fat, let cook until the onions begin to turn golden, don't be afraid of a little color. Add the zucchini and yellow squash as they're prepped, stir well to coat with fat, let cook, stirring only occasionally, letting a little color and even a little burn appear on the pieces of squash. When the mixture is mostly cooked, add the corn and let cook just a minute. Stir in the cheese and season to taste. Add the cilantro, give it all one last stir, then, yes, you've got it, Serve and Savor.
ALANNA'S TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
If the hot skillet gets dry, add a splash or two of water. This is one of the great ways to limit fat when cooking vegetables, using just enough for flavor and that 'glisten' we love, but without so many calories. 
MORE FAVORITE ZUCCHINI RECIPES
~ Easy Cheesy Zucchini ~
~ Easy Autumn Leaves in Soup ~
~ Zucchini with Tomatoes & Cheddar ~
~ more summer squash recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Shredded Zucchini with Thyme ~
~ Balkan Sausage Stew ~
~ Carrot & Zucchini Bread ~
~ more zucchini recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column
~ Easy Cheesy Zucchini ~
~ Easy Autumn Leaves in Soup ~
~ Zucchini with Tomatoes & Cheddar ~
~ more summer squash recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Shredded Zucchini with Thyme ~
~ Balkan Sausage Stew ~
~ Carrot & Zucchini Bread ~
~ more zucchini recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column
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