Calabaza Recipes
Audrey Said:
How can i use my "Flor de calabaza"or pumpkin flowers?We Answered:
We usually put them in a soup made of chicken broth with corn kernels and some squash. The squash called calabaza criolla in Mexico is best for this , but you can use zucchini also. Season with salt and black pepper. Another thing that goes well is a Mexican herb called epazote which adds a mild smokey flavor. I do not know if it exists in the USA becasue I have heard that it is slightly toxic.Some people stuff the flower with cheese or ground meat, close with toothpicks and dip the flower in whipped eggwhite and fry it. This is also good. I don't know how that will work out with canned flowers, we only buy fresh ones.
I have also seen them in quesadillas. A quesadilla is a tortilla (some will argue whether flour tortillas are acceptable, but corn is better for texture) with cheese and you can sort of saute the flowers with minced onion in a little seasoned oil and then put them in the tortilla with the cheese. Try to use a cheese that gets stringy when melted. Mexican Oaxaca cheese is the standadrd, but you could get by with mozzarella...or just experiment.
I am not 100% sure that all flor de calabaza actually is pumpkin flower as calabaza is a generic word for many kinds of squash and the flowers of most squash tend to be very similar. Pumpkins are available here the same time as in the USA, but the criolla and zucchini type squash are available all year.
Stacey Said:
How can i use my "Flor de calabaza"or pumpkin flowers?We Answered:
Hello.1.- The easiest: you can add it to a "quesadilla"; in one tortilla (corn or wheat meal is okay), you put cheese (mozarella or chedar if you don't have oaxaca o asadero cheese) in the middle and the orange part of the flower, put the "quesadilla" over the grill (I don't know how to say "comal", wich is over the grill actually), when the tortilla is soft you can ¿bend? it (jesus!, my english is bad! ...how do you say "doblar"? is it to bend?); once the cheese is fondue, the "quesadilla con flor de calabaza" is ready.
2.- You can make a pumpkin flower soup (crema de flor de calabaza), just as you make any other soup like champignon soup, using condesed milk, but you add pumpkin flowers instead of champignons. The flower can be either cooked (steam cooked) or fresh, as you prefer.
3.- As soon as I improve my english, I'll let you know some other recipes.
Reginald Said:
Does any one have the recipe for TORTAS DE CALABAZAS?We Answered:
oh those are soooooo goooood!!!! both of them are!!!caldo:
3 red tomatoes
1/4 onion
1 garlic
salt
blend in in the blender until it is smooth pour it into a sauce pan with as many chilies you want(whole..not cut up)
tortas:
cut the calabazas in circles add the cheese inside
in a bowl add 2 egg whites beat until fluffy then add the yellow of the eggs and salt beat together
in another bowl add harina(flour)
roll the calabaza and cheese in the flour and then in the eggs and fry them until they are brown
remove them and put them in the caldo
i hope this works for you
Dale Said:
Can anyone spare a delicious recipe for Pork with squash?We Answered:
Calabacita con Puerco Recipe #824842½ hours | 20 min prep
SERVES 12
2 tablespoons shortening
3 lbs pork chops, boned and cubed
3-4 serrano chilies, to taste
1 large onion
2 teaspoons whole comino
4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup flour
3 lbs squash, sliced,large slices quartered (yellow or zucchini or Mexican squash)
1 can whole kernel corn, including liquid
2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Heat shortening in Dutch oven; fry pork cubes in batches until browned.
Return all pork to pan.
Place chilies and onion in food processor container and process until chopped (or chop together by hand).
Slice garlic and place with cominos and salt in a mortar and pestle and grind together.
(The garlic and cominos and salt can be chopped in the food processor with the chilies and onion, but grinding it gives it more flavor).
Add all vegetables to pan with pork and cook over high heat until onion is transparent.
Sprinkle flour over pork and vegetables and stir to combine.
Cook a few minutes to remove the raw taste of the flour.
Add all remaining ingredients plus about 1 tomato can of water--enough so that pork and vegetables are not quite covered with liquid.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.
Cook at a simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, checking periodically and adding more water if necessary.
Ted Said:
Dulce de Calabaza China/India?We Answered:
Dulce de Calacaza Indio:The orange halloween kind or the white/greenish ones will both work well.
1 lg. ripe pumpkin
Lime
Water
Sugar
Cut pumpkin into slices. Peel and cut into 3 inch sizes. Place in large pan or turkey roaster. Mix 1 tablespoon of lime to each quart of water; stir well. Pour over pumpkin and let soak overnight. After soaking, remove pumpkin and wash thoroughly in clear water 3 or 4 times.
Put pumpkin in a large pan. Cover with warm water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain and wash twice in cold water. Set aside and drain for 1 hour.
Weight pumpkin and use same amount of sugar. Pierce each piece several times with a fork. Place in large pan or roaster. Cover completely with sugar; moisten with water.
Bake in oven at 300 degrees oven for 3 hours or until pumpkin is crystalized. Drain syrup and place pumpkin on wax paper to dry.