Calabasita (Squash stew)

Calabasa can refer to almost any type of squash in Spanish and in this case I am referring to zuccini. Calabaza is probably more likely to refer to this particular squash squash but again, we will use zuccini here. In addition, pork can be substituted for the chicken I use here.

Side note, I have made this dish with various other types of squash also and usually turns out great.


Ingredients:

20 small zuccini sliced into thin rounds (about thickness of three quarters stacked) (fewer if only large squash are available).
3 pieces of garlic
.5 large white onion, chopped.
2 jalapenos
1 cube of chicken bullion (optional)
1 pouund of chicken (white, dark, combination) I often just use a whole chicken properly pieced.
1 can of corn
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil

In large pot fry garlic, jalapenos & onion for a few minutes, then add chicken pieces. Cook chicken until brown well on all sides. Add squash and mix all ingredients together. Cover and let cook on medium heat. DO NOT ADD WATER. Stir squash occassionaly. The squash will release water which will become the "soup" part of this dish. Once water from squash is clearly visible, add cumin, bullion, salt & pepper and corn. Stir well and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve with flour tortillas and good salsa (see recipe below)

Arroz com Pollo (Mexican style Chicken & Rice)

Classic dish. Nothing fancy here but still one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
2 medium white onions
4 pieces of garlic
2 cups of rice
1.5 tablespoons of lard (olive oil if you must, but pig add a very nice taste)
1 can of tomato paste
1 cube of chicken bouillion
salt & pepper
ground cumin
2 bay leaves
3 serano peppers (you can leave the peppers out if you don't like your food to spicy)

Preperation:

In a large stock pot boil the chick with one piece of garlic, one onion quartered, chicken bouillion, salt & pepper, and one serano pepper. Boil until chicken is well done, remove chicken and save stock. After chicken has cooled, pull meat from bones (meat should be in bite size pieces) and set aside.

In large, deep iron skillet (pot with lid if you don't have deep iron skillet) heat lard over medium high heat until melted and add onion (halved and then sliced) and serano peppers. Fry onion until slightly wilted and then add rice and bay leaves. Stir rice with wood spoon until most of the rice has become brown, add chicken and tomato paste and stir. Add four cups of the saved chicken stock, salt & pepper, and five or six shakes of cumin. Cover and lower heat to low. Cook for approimately 30 minutes. Serve with tortillas.

Note: I like this dish with a bit of extra chick stock. Not quite a soup but not just cooked rice either. Add an extra cup of stock during the step above to make this dish a bit more "soupy"

Salsa Trajan (Green salsa)

This is a salsa I make to be added to food, it should be served immediately after you make it, still hot. I suppose you could also eat it with chips, ala American but I it may be a bit much. FYI, this stuff is damn hot when made right.

Ingredients:

7-8 tomatillos (few more if they are very small) (remove leafs and rinse well)
2 jalapeno peppers (stems removed)
3 serano peppers (stems removed)
2 pieces of garlic
half of a small white onion (pealed and quartered)
1 small ripe tomato
salt & pepper to taste

Place tomatillos, peppers, garlic and onions in a steamer and steam until onion and tomatillos are slightly wilted, approximately five minutes. Place all steamed ingredients into a food processor or blender along with tomato, salt & pepper and blend until a smooth salsa is made (approximately 20-25 seconds). Place in bowl and serve immediately with food.