Summer Calabacita Tacos

INGREDIENTS

Half an onion, your choice of color
One or two cloves of garlic
A large ear of corn
Two summer squashes
Two tomatoes
An avocado, sliced
Condiments: olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs of your choice.
+ Salsa of your choice

The Corn Tortillas

1 cup Nixtamalized corn flour
1 cup water
Pinch or two of salt

PREPARATION

Begin by heating a large pan over medium heat and adding a generous splash of olive oil. Caramelize the onion until it turns translucent and aromatic. While the onion cooks, chop your squash into bite-sized pieces, by the time you finish you can add this to the pan with the garlic. At this point, a pinch of salt will help encourage the vegetables to transform.
Next, cut the raw corn kernels from the cob and add them to the pan. Follow with the tomatoes, adding them last due to their delicate texture. Allow the tomatoes to warm through and the flavors to meld, reducing the heat while you prepare the tortillas.

In Mexico, where I was born and raised, we hold that the tortilla is the heart of a good taco. A subpar tortilla can undermine even the best filling. Making tortillas from scratch is simple and will give you a much more delicious vessel than the ones at the store.. My preferred masa, or corn flour, undergoes the traditional Nixtamalization process, which has been used in Mexico for many generations. The corn is mixed with lime, triggering fermentation which enriches the tortillas with prebiotic and probiotic properties, making them both nutritious and delicious.

To make the tortillas, mix corn flour, water, and a pinch of salt in a bowl until a dough forms. If you don’t have a tortilla press, not to worry – shape golf-ball-sized portions of dough by hand. Place each ball between two sheets of baking paper and flatten with either your press or two heavy books until they are circular, round and flat. Cook each tortilla in a hot, dry pan for a few moments on each side until slightly puffed.
Now you can assemble your tacos. Add the warm, vegetable filling to the tortilla.

A few slices of creamy avocado and a sprinkle of herbs add the perfect finishing touch. These tacos are more than just a meal; they’re a connection to the land, a reminder of the deep-rooted knowledge passed down through generations. Each bite is a celebration of resilience, community, and the enduring power of ancestral wisdom.

I’ll leave you with an old saying in Mexican culture that resonated deeply with me when I first heard it ‘As long as the people take care of the corn, the corn will take care of the people’.

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