Calabacitas (Spanish for “little squashes”) is a traditional side dish that I’ve converted into a delicious taco filling that celebrates summer bounty. All squash are native to the New World and, with corn, beans, and chiles, one of the “four magic plants” (as I call them) of the Southwest. Squash and corn not only like to grow together in the garden, they have a natural ecology that helps fix the nitrogen content of the soil, and they taste wonderful when cooked together. You can add fresh or frozen baby lima beans or fresh or dried green beans here for added color and nutrition. Be sure to cook the vegetables very slowly to capture all their natural sweetness and complexity.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 tacos

　　1 medium green chile, oil-roasted, peeled, cored, and seeded (page 154)

　　2 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

　　1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram

　　3 cloves garlic, minced

　　1/4 pound yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons

　　1/4 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons

　　1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 1 ear fresh corn)

　　1 small Roma tomato, cored, seeded, and diced

　　1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　8 (5 1/2-inch) soft white corn tortillas (page 13), for serving

　　Garnish: Pumpkin seed pesto (page 33) or basil pesto

　　

Step 1

Cut the prepared green chiles into 1/4-inch-thick strips (rajas); set aside.

　　

Step 2

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and marjoram until the onion begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cover the pan, and cook 5 minutes more. Add the yellow and zucchini squashes and corn kernels and cook, tightly covered, until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Add the chile, tomato, and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, another 2 minutes so the flavors can blend.

　　

Step 3

Remove from the heat and serve immediately or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.

　　

Step 4

To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and pesto. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with salsa and pesto, fold, and eat right away.

　　Tacos by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Copyright © 2009 by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Mark Miller is the acclaimed chef-founder of Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has started and owned thirteen different restaurants on three continents from 1979 to 2008. He is the author of ten books with nearly 1 million copies in print, including Tacos, The Great Chile Book, The Great Salsa Book, and Coyote Cafe. Mark currently works in International Culinary Consulting and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Benjamin Hargett is a travel-loving chef who has cooked in Europe, the Carribean, Mexico, and the United States, where he worked with Mark Miller at the Coyote Café for many years.