Calabacitas

Ingredients

• oil (I usually use olive oil, but not EVOO—we are frying stuff, here)
• onion
• summer squash
• fresh bell peppers and/or fresh chiles, preferably roasted and peeled unless you are using jalapeños
• cut corn, optional (Note from Ann: we used frozen corn and it worked perfectly – and estaba muy delicioso)
• fresh oregano (or dried, or something else, or nothing)
• fresh lime juice
• salt and pepper
• maybe some toasted cumin seeds
• garnish with some cilantro leaves if Frankie is not expected for dinner

Scrape the seeds out of some squash before cutting them up so they don’t get so squishy. This has the added benefit of creating tidy little half-moon shapes. Pay attention to the relative cooking times. Start with the onions, then raw peppers, then corn if it is not already cooked and last the squash and cooked peppers. I like to cook calabacitas in a hot skillet so that I get some browning, but be careful not to overcook the squash. Remember, this is squash, not squish. If stuff looks to be in danger of burning before it is done or the bottom of the pan is getting too dark, add a little water to cool and deglaze the pan. Squeeze some lime juice on it as you are finishing up.