Corn Squash Guisado: Quintessentially Native Texas Mexican
Perfect for Sunday dinner, this corn squash guisado is totally Native American, a Texas Mexican classic. Even the technique is native. A guisado is a braise or stew that you cook stove-top. In every Mexican American family there’s a bounty of memories connected to a guisado.
This one is a favorite of mine, especially when you’ve got fresh summer corn and squash. You’ll feel connected to the land.
Native Americans used fat from bears or ducks. They also used oils from nuts and seeds to cook all these indigenous ingredients: corn, squash, tomato, and onion.
Recipe for Corn Squash Guisado
Ingredients (serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a main dish)
1 corn cob, kernels cut off close to the cob with a knife
2 tatuma squash, zucchini, or similar (tatuma is a Mexican heirloom squash), sliced into
1⁄2-inch wedges.
1/2 white onion, sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced into small cubes
1 tablespoon canola or other vegetable oil with no transfats
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Method
1. Cut off both tips of the squashes and slice them lengthwise into quarters; then slice the quarters into 1⁄2-inch wedges. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet, over medium heat, then add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion starts to become trans- lucent.
3. Add the corn and tomatoes and cook for another two minutes, stirring.
4. Add the squash, water, and salt to the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the squash has released juices (it should be soft but not mushy).
Taste and adjust the salt.
Serve the guisado immediately.