If you ever go to Guajillo's in San Antonio, TX, get their Calabaza con Mole Verde because it rules. This is my take on their delicious dish.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil or water
2 zucchinis
1 c. plain cashews
1 8oz. jar tomatillo salsa
1 jalapeño
3 garlic cloves
1.5 c. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
corn or flour tortillas
Sriracha (optional)
Directions:
Begin by pouring olive oil (or water if you want to be healthier) in a medium saucepan. Put burner on medium, and cut zucchini as you wait for it to heat. I like to cut slices on the diagonal to get longer pieces. When oil/water is hot, place zucchini slices flat in the pan, and layer them if you have to. Let those begin to get soft, and grab a blender or food processor.
Blend up the your favorite tomatillo salsa with cashews, jalapeño, garlic, and 1 cup of cilantro. Here the creaminess or chunkiness depends on your preference. If you don't want to bite on the cashews, blend until smooth. If you'd like some chunks in there, don't blend too much. I personally like it creamier, with juuust a little bit of cashew crunch. Add the cumin along with salt and pepper to taste. Once your mole verde is at your preferred consistency, pour it over the zucchini in the pan, and carefully fold the sauce into the squash.
The thing with zucchini is that there is a fine cooking line between a firm texture to totally translucent and squishy. Allow the sauce to cook with the zucchini until you just start to see a couple pieces becoming translucent. Stir on occasion. While this is finishing up, it's a good time to heat up your tortillas.
Take your calabaza off the heat and finish by sprinkling the remaining cilantro over the dish. Serve in corn or flour tortillas and top with sriracha if you like it extra spicy. Enjoy!
*Warning - This is a pretty spicy dish! If you can't take the heat, use mild tomatillo salsa and leave out the jalapeño and Sriracha.
Taco yield: 8
Spice-o-Meter: Hot
I actually prefer corn tortillas with this dish but was fresh out! Flour will do just fine.
