Food that moves you

D’ya ever spot a recipe that you know you will love with all your heart? One that’s destined to become a make-again-all-the-time favorite? All food bloggers know this feeling; you’re surfing the sites, checking out who’s been making what (or sloofing off and not cooking, as can be the case sometimes too) and you spot something that rivets you to the screen, a tantalizing drop of drool forming in the corner of your mouth.

This recipe for Calabacitas con Crema, from Carolyn’s Tasting Spoons, did that for me. I can always be depended on to go a bit ga-ga over anything that smacks of authentic Mexican, plus coming from Rick Bayless, you know it’s going to be good. That man could make pine tar yummy. On top of all that, the clincher for this was the ingredients. All it consists of is corn, fire roasted poblano pepper and zucchini. I mean, folks….roasted poblano pepper. Couldja just tempt me any more than that?? I doubt it. Well, maybe with chocolate.

We’re celebrating our fifth anniversary this weekend, really celebrating (wink wink) because Griffin is camping with good friends of ours who stepped in and took him off our hands so we could enjoy our anniversary the right way…a nice meal out, a good meal at home and no whining. Can’t get better than that. I knew I was going to make salmon for dinner, and this looked to be the perfect accompaniment.

I drenched our salmon filet with a parsley wine butter then baked in for 15 minutes or so to start, finishing it under a low broiler just to get the wine to caramelize. The mix was about three tablespoons of chopped parsley with 2 T. of butter and about 1/4 c. of white wine. Melt the butter, stir in the rest and pour it over the fish on a foil-lined baking sheet, drawing the foil up around it to hold it in. Bake at 375 until about 3/4 done, the turn the broiler to low and finish. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes under the flame.

The vegetable mix was easy once the prep was done. I pre-cooked two ears of corn just in boiling water, then cut off the kernels. Two poblano’s were roasted under an intense broiler flame. Had it not been wet and raining outside, I would have done them on the grill but this worked. Then just cut the zucchini up, saute it all together and mix in the cream. I had some of my delicious lime cream on hand that gave it quite a zesty flavor, plus a little sour cream, and some extra lime juice to give it a kick. The original recipe uses 1/2&1/2, recommending fat free to take the calorie edge down. I used yellow squash since our grocer had only one very sad looking zucchini on hand. They are so similar that taste-wise, I am sure it didn’t matter.

This dish was simply divine; I can see why Carolyn waxed on and on about it. It is such a great combination of flavors and tastes. I loved the creaminess to it, and next to the salmon it really shined. The recipe makes a nice amount so we’ve got good leftovers, and honestly, this recipe needs very little else to make it terrific. It could easily be served on its own for a nice main dish. For me, it’s going to be Sunday lunch.

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Calabacitas con Crema

From Tasting Spoons blog
Source: Rick Bayless, restaurateur, from his book Authentic Mexican
Servings: 8
1 lb zucchini — (about four small)
1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh if possible
1/2 whole onion — thinly sliced
2/3 cup heavy cream (or use fat-free half and half) – optional
1 whole poblano pepper — roasted, seeded, peeled and cut in thin strips
1 tsp salt
1 Tb butter
1 Tb vegetable oil — or vegetable oil
1. Chop the zucchini in large chunks (about 3/4 inch to 1 inch) and set aside. Prepare onions ahead and set aside. Grill the poblano chile directly on a gas flame, cool, remove skin, then cut into small strips.

2. Using a very large skillet, heat butter and oil until very hot. Add zucchini and toss until tender. Remove the zucchini from the pan with a slotted spoon, allowing it to drain well. In the remaining oil and butter, fry the onion slices until soft and sweet, then add the corn and pepper slices. Add the zucchini and cream and cook until nice and hot. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

Recipe Notes: I recommend some fresh squeezed lime juice and perhaps a shake or two of chili powder just for notching up the flavor. Sour cream was my ‘crema’ of choice today and it was delicious. I did not use onion and didn’t miss it; it’s not my fave so please, if it’s yours, put it in. I used two poblano peppers, two ears of corn and three zucchini for this.