Vegetable Fajitas (Calabacitas)
- Serves: 4 – 6
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes
- Total Cooking time: 20 minutes
I absolutely love summertime, although honestly I could do without the breathtaking heat but without it, the wonderful parade of colorful and delicious summer vegetables would not be around to be enjoyed and appreciated. This dish is a celebration of those beautiful veggies and, to some extent of the heat. Garden-fresh vegetables are mixed with a spicy blend of chili powder and garlic hot sauce and just a splash of lime juice and tequila. All of these flavors come together in an amazing burst of flavors and aromas that quickly wakes up and refreshes a heat exhausted palate on a summer evening. Whether this recipe is served as a side dish or as filler in a corn tortilla as a taco this is a great dish to try at your next potluck or Mexican night.
| Amount | Measure | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | small | Zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced thinly (about 1/8”) |
| 2 | small | yellow crookneck summer squash halved and sliced thin |
| 1 | medium | potato, peeled and diced into ¼” cubes |
| 1 | small | red onion, peeled and sliced thinly |
| 1 | cup | fresh tomatoes seeded and diced (about 1 medium tomato) |
| 1 | cup | sweet white corn either cut off of the cob or use frozen corn |
| 1 | Tablespoon | Lime juice (about ½ of a lime) |
| 1 | shot of good tequila | |
| 2 | Tablespoon | Garlic flavored Hot sauce (I used Pepper Plant Brand) or to taste |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | chili powder |
| Salt and pepper to taste |
To prepare:
Heat a large heavy skillet over a medium high burner. Add about 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil to the pan and let heat thru. Next, add in the diced potatoes and let cook for about 3 minutes then stir to turn when slightly browned. Add in the sliced onion and stir constantly, sauté for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions just begin to soften and turn translucent. Next, add in the zucchini, yellow squash, and the diced tomatoes, chili powder, and the garlic hot sauce, stirring well to mix. Lower the heat to medium and stir occasionally another 10 minutes or so or until the squash is just tender. Stir in the sweet corn, then season to taste with the salt and pepper. Lastly, add in the lime juice and tequila, returning to the heat and simmering another 5 minutes or until tender. Serve as vegetarian tacos with sour cream and cheese in some heated corn tortillas or as a side dish with your favorite Mexican dish.
