Mexican Calabacitas Tacos with Summer Squash, Sweet Corn and Queso Fresco

Char the poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a hot broiler, turning until blackened all over. Seal them in a bowl covered with a plate for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins, seed them and cut into strips.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 corn tortillas
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or lard
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and cut into strips
• 3 medium zucchini and 2 yellow squash, cut into half-moons
• 2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels, cut from 3 ears
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
• 1 large handful cilantro leaves and 2 limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Char the poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a hot broiler, turning until blackened all over. Seal them in a bowl covered with a plate for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins, seed them and cut into strips.
2. Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 4 minutes, until softened and translucent at the edges.
3. Add the garlic, oregano and cumin and stir for 30 seconds, just until the spices smell toasted.
4. Add the squash in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to take on color before stirring. Cook 5 to 6 minutes total, until tender but still holding its shape.
5. Stir in the corn and cook 3 minutes more, until the kernels are sweet and lightly blistered.
6. Add the tomatoes and poblano strips and cook 4 minutes, until the tomatoes collapse into a light sauce that clings to the vegetables. Season with the salt and taste.
7. Warm the tortillas directly over a burner or in a dry comal for about 20 seconds per side, until soft and freckled, then stack them in a clean towel to steam.
8. Fill each tortilla with the calabacitas, then top generously with crumbled queso fresco and torn cilantro.
9. Serve immediately with lime wedges and your favorite salsa verde on the side.
10. Calabacitas — literally 'little squashes' — is home cooking at its most seasonal, a dish that appears on Mexican tables the moment summer squash and corn overlap at the market. In central Mexico it is often served as a side or a light meatless main during the harvest weeks, and the combination of squash, corn and chile is a direct descendant of the milpa, the ancient companion-planting system that grows all three together in the same field. Because the vegetables carry the dish entirely, this is one recipe genuinely worth timing to peak August produce.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 430 kcal
• Protein: 15g
• Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 56g
• Fiber: 9g
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 690mg